Documents for Public Comment
Please reference the policy number when commenting.
Announcement Policy 7240 Drug-Free and Alcohol-Free Workplace.– Caldwell County Board of Education thanks our community for the active and honest feedback regarding the proposed changes to Policy 7240. This review was originally started to find a solution for the significant hiring delays we’ve faced due to testing backlogs. Other school districts in North Carolina have found that altering this policy is an effective way to make hiring processes more efficient, and the Caldwell County Board of Education wanted the community to participate in discussions about this proposed solution before further exploring the idea. After listening to concerns, the Board has decided not to move forward with this revision. Our current policy -- which requires all new full-time and part-time hires to pass a drug screen -- will remain unchanged. The Board remains committed to making our hiring process more efficient, but we will do so in a way that aligns with the expectations of our families and neighbors. We value the active role Caldwell County Schools families play in the decision-making process.
Policy Code 3400 Evaluation of Student Progress (Open for Public Comment until April 13.)
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Posted Comments
Just a few points I would like to provide against removing drug testing for new hires. I am providing this both as a parent and as an employee. 1. Public schools rely on community trust. Parents expect school districts to maintain strong hiring standards for people who supervise and educate their children. Keeping drug testing requirements in place demonstrates that the district is committed to accountability and professionalism. 2. Schools are responsible for the safety and well-being of children. Maintaining a drug-free workplace helps ensure that employees who work directly with students, teachers, custodians, and support staff are able to perform their duties safely and responsibly. Pre-employment drug testing acts as a safeguard to reduce the risk of impaired individuals working in environments with minors. In conclusion, keeping pre-employment drug testing helps protect students, maintain community trust, reduce risk, and ensure employees are prepared to work safely in a school environment. Removing the requirement could weaken these protections. The decision to remove section C is 100% the wrong choice to make.
As a grandparent of two precious children in this school system, and as a retired educator of CCS of almost 30 years teaching middle school, I am very concerned with this matter. Our children should be the top priority of the school system. Choosing not to drug test adults who will be responsible for taking care of these children is absurd. As parents and grandparents, we have the right to know that our children are of first and upmost importance to those in charge. I have seen firsthand as an educator, teachers in charge of students while intoxicated and taking pain medication and it wasn’t good. They were not in control of their thought process and could barely communicate with anyone. A very unsafe situation which could have turned out so much worse. Please take better care of our children while they are in your care. Please make wise choices concerning this matter. Show CCS parents and students that you care about the students well being and safety. Please do not open doors that might lead to unsafe conditions in our schools. Thank you for listening.
Totally disagree with this decision. Our children’s safety should be our first priority and the possibility of hiring a drug addict to teach or interact with our children is putting them at risk. Definitely not a good decision.
I ask that you please reconsider this new change. Allowing teachers and staff inside the school without drug testing is extremely dangerous for our vulnerable children. I have two siblings that are enrolled in Caldwell County Schools and will have a son that is enrolled this upcoming school year. I am deeply troubled that this was even a consideration to allow staff inside of the schools without any pre-employment testing done. If this isn’t reconsidered, I do firmly believe that reelection for current board members would be a concern for the citizens of Caldwell County. Common sense first!
My comment on removing drug testing. I think it’s a horrible idea. Not only the teachers, other jobs as in janitors and food staff. If we have people abusing drugs “off the clock” what if they choose a heavy drug as in pills, etc. they never know when they get laced with fentanyl. The next day they come in and cook these children food. Who knows she still had some on her person and as potent as I hear this stuff is. Quiet frankly anything is possible and I don’t like the thought of anyone abusing any drug on or off of the clock whether it be teaching, cleaning, cooking, or office staff. when you open the door to some drugs, you open the door to all drugs and with the reputation Caldwell County has with drug abuse, it’s not only gonna be marijuana. It will grow and grow in this county and it will never get better, if we don’t change.
All personnel hired to work in any area of the school system should be required to pass a drug test. The school board should look into other ways to get the results quicker instead of doing away with this measure of protection for the children in our county.
I think everyone that works in the school system should be drug tested and they should do random drug testing also.
Safety for our children in Caldwell County should be the most important thought in the minds of the people making the policies that directly affect those children. We should never put the well-being and safety of our children over a few extra days to hire someone who will be entrusted with them daily. If this proposed policy goes through it would be a deciding factor for whether my grandchildren will be attending a public school in Caldwell County in the near future.
Allowing individuals with pending drug screenings to work around Caldwell County students is a significant liability. This policy exposes both the School Board and Caldwell County Schools to immense legal risks and potential lawsuits if an incident occurs. If the current screening process is delayed, the district must find an alternative solution that does not compromise student safety. Our children should not bear the risk of an inefficient administrative process.
How dare you allow possible addict's in to the schools. As a recovering addict sober 9 years now and a mother, I would never ever have allowed an addict to teach or even work at any public or private school! This is absolutely horrifying! Please dear God stop this..... do not pass this! Keep the drug tests in place. They are there for a reason and those reasons fill the halls and classrooms of the schools (the children) and if this is passed you are putting the lives of our children in danger!
As a parent with two students in this school system, I am very concerned about the proposal to remove the requirement for newly recommended employees to pass a drug test. Our schools should maintain the highest standards for the adults who work closely with our children every day. Drug screening has long been one of the safeguards that helps ensure staff members are responsible and capable of providing a safe environment for students. Removing this requirement raises the concern that the district could unknowingly hire someone who is actively using drugs and only take action after a serious incident occurs. Waiting until something bad happens before addressing the issue does not protect students, it puts them at unnecessary risk. While I acknowledge the challenges surrounding hiring and staffing, the safety and wellbeing of students must remain the top priority, and maintaining reasonable screening measures is an important part of that responsibility.
I also work for county government and we also have had this issue recently with backlog drug testing. We however, do not allow those employees to start working until we have that drug screening back as they are caring for someone’s loved ones and driving them to hospitals. As teachers are caring for our loved ones, more hours a day than we are seeing them at home. I do not want my child to come home and tell me that she smells alcohol on her teachers breath. Or that her teacher did not act appropriate or was not with it. If they cannot pass a drug test or there’s issues passing a drug test we do not need them working around our children.
To be able to work in the Caldwell County school system or any other school system, it should be mandatory that you PASS A DRUG SCREENING AND BACKGROUND CHECK. How stupid can you be to want to pass that you don’t have to pass a drug screening. If this happens they will be a lot being home schooled and next voting time all will be voted OUT !!!!!
I am absolutely appalled that the Caldwell County school board would even consider something so damaging to the children of our county. As a parent of 3 children currently enrolled in Caldwell school it makes me sick to think you would even bring this up for consideration. Does this mean next you will stop requiring background checks for employees ??