Statement of Policy
In order to foster an appropriate environment for the education of students and to protect the health and safety of employees, it is the policy of the Interstate 35 Community School District that the following conduct is prohibited: (1) the use, sale, offering for sale, or possession of illegal drugs, controlled substances, imitation controlled substances, or counterfeit controlled substances, on the job, on the district’s premises, or in district vehicles; (2) any improper use of “legal” or physician-prescribed drugs on the job, on the district’s premises, or in district vehicles; (3) the use, sale, offering for sale, or possession of alcoholic liquor (beer, wine, or alcohol) on the job, on the district’s premises, or in district vehicles; and (4) being under the influence of illegal drugs or controlled substances, alcoholic liquor (beer, wine, or alcohol) or improperly used prescription drugs on the job, on the district’s premises, or in district vehicles.
Application
The portions of this policy which pertain to testing apply to all individuals who are required to possess a commercial driver’s license to operate the school vehicle and the school vehicle transports sixteen or more persons including the driver or the school vehicle weighs twenty-six thousand one pounds or more. For purposes of the drug and alcohol testing program, the term "employees" includes applicants who have been offered a position to operate a school vehicle. Unless otherwise specified, this policy applies to all district employees, including part-time employees.
General Information
he employees operating a school vehicle as described above are subject to pre-employment drug testing and random, reasonable suspicion and post-accident drug and alcohol testing, conducted in accordance with state and federal law. Employees operating school vehicles will not perform a safety-sensitive function within eight hours of using alcohol. Employees governed by this policy are subject to the drug and alcohol testing program beginning the first day they operate or are offered a position to operate school vehicles and continue to be subject to the drug and alcohol testing program as long as they may be required to perform a safety-sensitive function as it is defined in the administrative regulations. Employees with questions about the drug and alcohol testing program may contact the school district contact person, transportation director, in the secondary building at the Interstate 35 Community School.
Employees who violate the terms of this policy are subject to discipline up to and including termination. Employees who violate this policy may be required to successfully participate in a substance abuse evaluation and, if recommended, a substance abuse treatment program, at their sole cost and expense, as a condition of continued employment. Those who fail to or refuse to participate may be subject to discipline up to and including termination. A second violation will result in immediate termination.
It is the responsibility of the superintendent to develop administrative regulations to implement this policy in compliance with the law. The superintendent or superintendent’s designee will inform applicants of the requirement for drug and alcohol testing in notices or advertisements for employment.
The superintendent will also be responsible for publication and dissemination of this policy and its supporting administrative regulations and forms to employees operating school vehicles. The superintendent will also oversee a substance-free awareness program to educate employees about the dangers of substance abuse and notify them of available substance abuse treatment resources and programs.
Approved: November 17, 1997
Revised/Reviewed: January 24, 2022