JACKSON, Tenn. – Humboldt High School has started randomly drug testing students involved in athletics following a new state law that allowed schools to randomly test students in voluntary extracurricular activities.
The testing began Thursday after student athletes and parents were required to sign letters allowing the testing in order to participate in athletic programs like cheerleading and football.
Principal Arthur Moss told The Jackson Sun that testing will occur every other month to give students a way to counter peer pressure and to ensure athletes are drug free.
“This is to change the perception that all our athletes are on drugs,” Moss said.
The first round of testing included 10 students who were randomly selected through a numbering process, he said. School officials plan to expand the program to include all extracurricular activities once a structure is in place to test a larger group of students.