Although just a proposal, members of Bridgeport City Council appeared to be behind an initiative that would allow for Bridgeport High School students – with their parents approval – to be randomly and voluntarily drug tested. The proposal was part of a presentation given by Angie Ferguson, the executive director of the Drug Free Clubs of America

 

Ferguson addressed Bridgeport City Council during a 45-minute work session Monday and then addressed Council and the audience during the regular meeting. City Manager Kim Haws said Bridgeport High School officials were aware of the program, but that no commitment had been made on their end as the process is still in its infancy stages. During the regular meeting, several Council members also said Harrison County School Board official Ken Winkie had met with Ferguson about the program Monday and gathered information.

 

Under the program, student members are subject to periodic, random drug tests. It’s not new to West Virginia as several schools, including Wheeling Park, are already involved. There are more than 750 state teenagers involved, as well as students from Ohio and Kentucky, in the program.

 

The students are rewarded for joining and for having clean drug tests. Ferguson said the members of the club receive an identification card similar to a driver’s license and that the card gets discounts at various businesses and other perks that are created once the program is started. The main goal is that it serves as a counter balance to peer pressure, said Ferguson.

 

The testing, said Ferguson, is not open for public scrutiny. In fact, it’s not open to educational scrutiny.

 

“Test results (that are positive for drug use) are between parents and me. The information is not shared with the school,” said Ferguson.

 

From that point, Ferguson said resources are made available to address the situation. The hope is to deter students from starting by knowing that they are going to be tested and that their parents will learn of the situation if drugs are found as a result of the testing. However, not only do the parents have to agree to participate, but the students do as well. Each student that would potentially sign up if a program is created at BHS will be asked if they want to participate by Drug Free Clubs’ representatives to make sure their signature is legitimate or that they have not been forced to sign the agreement.

 

To participate, it costs $67 per child. Council member Melissa Matheny wanted to know if a student’s family couldn’t afford the cost, but wanted to participate, were there ways around it.

 

Ferguson said that in many communities some businesses defray a portion of the cost for each student that joins. In one community, she said, a philanthropist subsidizes a large portion of the cost.

 

“There are ways to make it affordable,” said Ferguson for anyone facing financial hardship.

 

The $67 covers the cost of the testing, as well as counseling and other services. The Drug Free Clubs of America is a non-profit group that consists of Ferguson and one other employee. The drug testing is done by labs and results are reviewed by Ferguson. The schools only role is to allow the collectors – those doing the testing – to enter the schools for random testing and appearances. The school would also be asked to send out the information.

 

“The schools are completely removed from the testing process,” said Ferguson.

 

Whether it happens remains to be seen. However, the program seemed to have support from Council, which didn’t dismiss Ferguson’s presentation and has been aggressively looking for ways to combat the growing drug problem in the city, county, and region. Volunteers would also be required to handle many aspects of the program.

 

On Monday, the program actually received an honor from the office of U.S. Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld from the Northern District of West Virginia. The program earned the 2015 Community Outreach Award.

 

Former Wheeling Police Chief Robert Matheny, who lives in Bridgeport and is now the Stonewood Police Chief, worked with Ferguson in getting the program started at Wheeling Park. He offered rave reviews of the work done by the organization.

 

To learn more about the program, visit www.drugfreeclubs.org. 

 

Editor's Note: Top photo is of Angie Ferguson of the Drug Free Clubs of America, while city resident and Stonewood Police Chief Robert Matheny is shown below.