Ohio private high school requiring mandatory student drug tests in 2020

An Ohio private high school announced Tuesday it will require students to undergo drug tests starting in 2020.

Badin High School, a Catholic school in Cincinnati, told students during an assembly that it will begin testing them at least once a year beginning in January.

In a letter from school administrators posted to their website, they said the purpose of the drug tests was to “provide students with help first and to involve parents or guardians every step of the way.”

“All students are capable of making mistakes and it is our job to ensure that students learn from them and grow through the process with the support and guidance of their family and the leadership of the school,” they wrote in a letter obtained by WXIX, adding they hope this initiative will lead Badin to be drug-free.

The new policy states that Great Lakes Biomedical will decide which students undergo drug tests and if they test positive, then their parents will be notified, and the students will have to undergo another drug test in 90 days, which parents must pay for.

While the policy states a first positive will warrant no significant school punishments, a second one will lead them to be considered a repeat drug user, and they could be suspended for 10 days. A third positive could lead to expulsion.

Any refusal to take a test will be considered a positive.