Brunswick County teachers to face random drug testing

BRUNSWICK COUNTY — All 1,600 employees of the Brunswick County school system will soon face random drug testing.

New faculty and staff will be tested prior to being hired.

A random ten-percent of all employees will be tested throughout the year.

If an employee fails a drug screening, he or she will not necessarily be fired, but referred to a treatment program.

School officials say the decision is a proactive measure.

Terry Chestnut with the Brunswick County School system said, “There has just been a keen interest by the superintendent and the board of education, we’ve certainly researched this and after research certainly that it’s a societal problem throughout our nation. So we’re taking initiative to take action on this.”

The drug testing will cost about $25,000 a year. Your tax dollars will foot the bill.