A policy that would allow the Vicksburg Warren School District to randomly drug test any student who drives to campus was defeated at the Board of Trustees meeting Thursday night.

The motion failed 2-2 with District 2 Trustee Zelmarine Murphy abstaining. District 3 Trustee Jim Stirgus Jr. and District 4 Trustee Joe Loviza voted against the motion while Board President and District 1 Trustee Bryan Pratt and District 5 Trustee Sally Bullard supported it. According to board rules, a tie means the measure fails.

Pratt had to relinquish the gavel to provide a second for Bullard’s motion.

The policy, which was revised since it was first proposed in September, would have broadened the district’s current policy that allows for random testing of any student involved in any extracurricular activity or who appears intoxicated on school property or at any school function.

Under the proposed policy, any student applying for a parking pass to either Vicksburg or Warren Central high schools would have to accept the possibility of being randomly tested. Students in seventh grade or higher who participate in any extracurricular activities are currently subject to random testing.

District Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Swinford previously cited safety concerns about students with drugs or alcohol in their system operating vehicles on campus.

Stirgus raised the most vocal opposition to the policy.

“I don’t advocate doing drugs, but we should apply it fairly,” Stirgus said.

Stirgus pointed to discrepancies in the district’s current application of its testing and punitive policies toward drugs and alcohol, saying some students avoided suspension for alcohol-related issues if they opt into counseling.

Swinford noted the policy calls for counseling students who test positive.

However, Murphy shared Stirgus’ concerns about consistency in testing.

“I see these two offenses as the same,” Murphy said of alcohol and illegal drugs. “Let’s be fair, firm and consistent. When you are not, you are sending the wrong message.”

Murphy, who represents District 2, added that she has no personal stake in the policy, citing her re-election loss this month to former Vicksburg High School coach Alonzo Stevens, who sat with the audience at the meeting.

“I wouldn’t say it if it was not true,” Murphy said. “I’m the lame duck so I can do that.”

Stirgus also raised concerns about the costs of testing and the policy being unfairly applied due to personal vendettas that would compromise the random selection of students.

After the vote, the discussion continued with Pratt saying the vote sent the wrong message.

“What a message we’re sending to our children,” he said. “Most Fortune 500 companies randomly drug-test.”

Loviza said the act of picking out a student for a random drug test could negatively affect that person’s reputation.

“When you randomly test, you sometimes get the feeling that someone is being falsely accused,” Loviza said.

The policy was based on research published by the Juvenile Justice Information Exchange, a publication that covers juvenile crime issues across the nation and the Southeast particularly.