Drug-testing exemption sought on religious grounds

The mother of a Lampeter-Strasburg High School student is seeking a religious exemption from the district's random-drug-testing program. The district policy, in its second year, requires students who drive to school or participate in extracurricular activities to sign a form agreeing to be subjected to random testing. The high school denied Malin's son a parking permit after he refused to sign the form. Solanco High School graduate Gilbert Ambler published his experience with random pass drug test in the October 2009 edition of Friends Journal. In a letter sent to the school district, church representatives said that a pastor who abruptly left mistakenly believed the church was automatically tax exempt. Church elders did not know about the owed taxes until a tax lien sale notice was posted. It has also received tax-exempt status from the county starting with the 2011-12 school year. The church now is requesting tax forgiveness from the district for the past three years, as well as for taxes for the current school year. Board member Scott Riekers said the district bases its budgets on taxable property. He said he does not believe the district should forgive past taxes. All district schools met AYP goals. Actually there is a solution for anyone that doesn't want be be tested in school. Report Abuse Maybe the school should have lie detector tests for all students as well to see if they are cheating on tests.