In a bid to address what officials said is a rise of vaping and drug use among students, the Beeville Independent School District voted unanimously to implement random drug testing procedures within their schools.
The measure was approved at a regular meeting of the BISD Board of Trustees on Tuesday.
The district will begin randomly drug testing students who participate in extracurricular activities, and students who want to obtain a school driver's permit.
BISD Chief of Staff Ericka Vasquez said that the policies could enhance the district's commitment to creating a safe environment for students.
"Here in Beeville ISD, we have worked really hard as a committee to create some random drug testing procedures. We've noticed a really high increase in the use of vapes across Texas and here in our district as well, so we really wanted to implement something to create a safe and free environment," Vasquez said.
KRIS 6 News asked about the procedures for the drug tests, but district officials said they were not ready to release that information.
Across the nation, vaping has emerged as a major concern among educators and parents. Officials with BISD are now seeking effective ways to tackle the issue head-on.
"And so, students, when they come to school, and they realize that we are really cracking down on our policies and procedures regarding drug testing, then they'll take it more seriously and see the impact that it has on their future and student success," Vasquez said.
School officials said while they are not planning to randomly drug test the entire student body, they are exploring a multi-faceted approach to combat vaping.
"Parents and students will have to attend orientation meetings to look over the procedures. It is mandatory; they will not be able to participate in any extracurricular activities until they attend orientation," she said.
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