A drug hotline is available for students if they suspect any kind of abuse or drug activity on school grounds.

Dr. Roy Ellis is a school board member that worked on getting that hotline implemented into schools last year to help put a stop to drug activity on school property.

“Kids need to take a stand,” he said, “That is the only way we are going to get these drugs out of these schools.”

The hotline is anonymous but Dr. Ellis feels that students are afraid their identities would be revealed.

“I believe there is a fear there because if a student feels like he or she is going to be revealed that they called, they aren’t going to,” he said, “I think that is why we’ve not been made aware that more has been going on.”

After a parent stood up and voiced her concern at the March school board meeting, more attention has been placed on drug testing teachers in the school system.

“That parent stood up and told the truth that she was concerned,” Ellis said, “I will try my best to do something about drug testing that’s what I can do as my part.”

According to Dr. Ellis the teacher that was suspended after failing a drug test has now resigned from Claiborne High School. A second teacher was also suspended indefinitely from Claiborne High School after refusing a blood test.

“We cannot have double standards in the system,” he said, “How can we tell our kids not to do something when the very people teaching them in the classroom are? It’s like you hear all the time, don’t do drugs.”

He also discussed the teacher at Claiborne High School who is teaching a health occupations class but whose nursing license was suspended by the state of Tennessee.

“If her license has been suspended by the state, why is she still in the system?” he asked.

The use of the K-9 dog that is used often during drug searches was brought up for use in schools.

“They should use it in the schools to search lockers and such,” he said, “They can’t search students or teachers but at least its presence would be in the schools.”

The drug hotline number is 423-526-9911 for any concerns students may have.