|
| SUPPORT
MANDATORY TEACHER DRUG TESTING IN WEST VIRGINIA |
| Collin
Grant Casteel |
 |
| 2002-2007 |
|
| To Whom It May Concern: |
| I am writing to ask that you enforce the random drug
testing for teachers. This is a very important issue that has been
neglected and over looked. It is also a very personal issue for me. |
|
On April 15, 2007 a physical education school
teacher brutally killed my sister, nephew, and niece. He had been in
the school system for many years. From his own statement he had also
been a long time drug user. |
|
Many professional people working in today’s world have
to be drug tested and ask no questions why. So why do we hesitate to
test those who are influencing, teaching and watching over our
children? |
|
Some say that it takes away their rights. For me it
took away three beautiful people that I loved very much. True, what
people do in their own time is their business, but when those people
are breaking the law and are using drugs they become addicted and can
no longer perform their responsibility in a safe and reliable
atmosphere for our children. |
|
What happened to my family was because of drugs
overtaking the life of a “one time responsible teacher”. I pray that
no one will ever have to go through what my family has and hope that
if we drug test those who are teaching our children we won’t have to
worry about someone just snapping and going off on one of them. |
|
Please remember what’s important. Our children
depend on us to watch over them. Please support the teacher drug
testing. |
Sincerely,
Jennifer Poe
Bruceton Mills, WV |
|
 |
| The
Collin Casteel Memorial Fund was established at Clear Mountain Bank,
Bruceton Mills, WV. The fund is devoted to a Scholarship in Collin's
name. For verification, before you donate, please feel free to call
the branch office listed above for confirmation before you send your
donation. |
| Thank
You, |
| Robin
Metheny & Pam Casteel |
|
 |
|
| MEDIA
INFORMATION LINKS |
| Judge
stops mandatory drug testing for teachers...Full Story...WWW.SUNDAYGAZETTE-MAIL.COM |
| |
CHARLESTON,
WV - Kanawha school teacher drug test policy...Full Story...
WWW.STOPTHEDRUGWAR.ORG |
| |
| Should
teachers be drug tested...Fox and Friends (Allow for download. Preceeded
by commercial break.) Video Clip - WWW.FOXNEWS.COM |
| |
Michael
Simpson, National Education Association assistant general counsel,
said his group opposes proposals to require teachers working in school
districts...Full Story...
WWW.POSTCHRONICLE.COM |
| |
| ROBBINSVILLE,
NC - Random drug, alcohol testing of teachers debated across U.S....Full
Story...WWW.WZZM13.COM |
|
| CONTACT
WEST VIRGINIA GOVERNMENT |
| WWW.WVGOV.ORG
- Governor's Office |
| WWW.LEGIS.STATE.WV.US |
Larry
A. Williams - District 45
Capitol Phone: 304.329.2290
Business Phone: 304.568.2815
E-mail:
LWILLIA1@MAIL.WVNET.EDU |
|
Dave Sypolt
(R-Preston) -
District 14
Capitol Phone: 304.357.7914
Business Phone: 304.698.5299
E-mail:DAVESYPOLT@WVSENATE.COM
|
|
| CONTACT
U.S. SENATE |
| WWW.USSENATE.GOV |
| CONTACT
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
| WWW.WRITEREP.HOUSE.GOV |
|
|
| U.S.
DISTRICT JUDGE, JOSEPH R. GOODWIN, STOPS MANDATORY DRUG TESTING FOR
TEACHERS IN WEST VIRGINIA - WHY? |
| The
Collin Grant Casteel Story: |
| Grandmother,
Robin Metheny, Bruceton Mills, WV |
| Teacher drug
testing in West Virginia has become a major issue and with me its
personal. My name is Robin
Metheny, and I am writing to ask your support in the push for mandatory
and random drug testing for West Virginia teachers. This is a terribly
important issue in these times and to me. My husband is an owner/operator
truck driver. He has been required to undergo drug testing due to
his profession for thirty years. We have close friends that work for
Penn Line who clear our power lines and they are required to be drug
tested. I work with multiple medical professionals who are required
to undergo drug testing. Why is it that the people who are given care
of our children daily are not? I know for a fact the test has been
simplified and expense is not what it was years ago, yet, I don’t
feel a price can be put on our children’s safety regardless.
|
| My very beautiful,
precious and special four year old grandson and his very lovely and
good mother were very savagely murdered by a “teacher”
who by his own court admission had taken drugs daily since he had
been in college. How could this have happened? How could this have
been overlooked? How could this possibly have been prevented? My grandson’s
name was Collin Grant Casteel, and he and his mother, Lori, were murdered
April 15, 2007, in Preston County. It has been said that it was one
of the worse tragedies Preston County has seen. I know it was for
us. This tragedy effected families, our school children, other teachers,
and all who have gone through a long period of grief, anger, realization,
mistrust, and attempted healing. |
| I
see no reason this should not be a state law. I will fight for it
until it is law. I know it has become mandatory elsewhere –
and praise them for putting their children first. I am not only fighting
it for very obvious personal reasons but for all the other children
in the wrong people’s hands. This is a very important issue
all over the country. Many people are fighting for it. I not only
have family that teaches but many close friends that are teachers
and they are not against mandatory testing. Yet I see numerous teachers
challenging this. I see them fighting for their “rights”
against it. Why? Why would they? Why do they feel they are above other
people who are required by their profession? What does that tell me?
What should that tell you? All school employees who directly affect
the health and welfare and safety of students, who supervise children
and provide for children, should not be above drug testing. I would
like to see those that dispute this so viciously first in line for
testing, for I would not allow another of my grandchildren to be in
their classroom. |
| Please
show your support in getting this law passed sooner rather than
later. We cannot afford to lose another child due to negligence
in our first priorities. Who do we continue to hold responsible
when nothing is done |
| |
Sincerely,
Robin
Metheny
Bruceton Mills, WV 26525 |
|
| The
Collin Grant Casteel Story (Continued): |
| Grandmother,
Pam Casteel, Bruceton Mills, WV |
| My
name is Pam Casteel and I am writing in support of the mandatory and
random drug testing for West Virginia teachers. This is a very important
issue. There are a tremendous amount of other occupations that are
required to do mandatory and random drug testing and I feel that someone
caring for our children would be the most important reason of all. |
| This
is a very personal issue to me. On April 15, 2007 I lost my pregnant
daughter and 4-year-old grandson, Lori and Collin Casteel. An elementary
school teacher from Preston County, WV brutally beat them to death.
While in court he admitted to doing drugs. If there would have been
a law in place requiring him to be drug tested this would not have
happened to my precious loved ones. This has affected more than just
my family. It has affected our whole community, his students and fellow
teachers, Collin’s class mates, everyone in the school system
and the local law enforcement. There were many students that had to
go through therapy because of this teacher. There was a member of
the law enforcement that changed occupations because of how this affected
his life. The reason this teacher gave for doing this horrible is
“I just snapped”. If he would have “just snapped”
while at school, just think about how many more communities, parents,
grandparents or family members would be going through this terrible
thing that my family is going through. If drugs can do this to one
very well respected, kind and caring school teacher, what is to say
it can’t happen again. |
| I
feel it is extremely important for this to be a state law. If the
reason it is not a law is because of the expenses, how can you put
a price on a child’s life? If it is because it takes away their
rights, what about the parent’s rights of knowing their children
are safe while attending school? Why is it a problem of being tested
unless they have something to hide? Why do they feel they should not
be tested while so many other occupations require it without question? |
| I
think it should be mandatory for every employee entering the school
system who is directly associated with the health and welfare of our
children to be tested for drugs. If it were only required for the
ones that |
| show
a reason to be tested then this one teacher, in particular, that we
know for a fact was on drugs, would not have been tested because he
showed no signs. If I would have had any idea that he was on drugs,
I would have done everything in my power to keep Lori and Collin away
from him and I am sure all the parents of his students would have
done the same. |
| Not
only are our children in harms way to be around a person on drugs,
but, what kind of example are they setting for the children. Children
see and know more than one thinks they are capable of seeing and knowing. |
| I
am asking for you to support and please make every effort possible
to get this law passed. We want to be sure this horrible thing never
happens again. |
Sincerely,
Pam Casteel
RT 3, Box 183 E
Bruceton Mills, WV 26525
|
|
Sent:
Wednesday, February 11, 2009 3:15 PM
Subject: Law |
I strongly support the push for mandatory and random drug testing
for WV teachers. It simply amazes me that school teachers are not required
to follow the rules they are supposedly monitoring in our schools. If
they are molding & shaping our students, then I question some of their
values if they are refusing drug testing. And I'm sure it is not the majority of teachers that is fighting this, only the
guilty few. But as we have learned from the Collin & Lori case, it only
takes one bad apple to ruin many many lives. I can't even begin to
imagine what these families have endured. I pray another family never has
to go through what these folks have. The first step will be making this
law
happen. |
Thank
you,
Tobie Cole
Waynesburg, PA 15370 |
|
|
Dear Sir,
|
|
The Casteel case is heart breaking. Any
organized group of people with such responsibility should voluntarily
submit to drug testing. It is very frightening to see the two sides of
this school teacher. I believe his unchecked, and over looked drug use
lead to these two senseless deaths. If random mandatory drug testing
of teachers could prevent any further horror stories, then I have to
support this movement. |
Respectfully,
Tara McCormick RN
Manager Clinical
Services
Surgical
Specialties |
|
| Senator
Sypolt's response is below. |
Thank you for
your concern Robin. I have already prepared and sent to
Bill
Drafting a proposed Bill which will do just that! |
| Please gather as much support across the State as you can and
encourage
everyone to contact their Legislators. My Bill does not have a number
assigned yet, but there will be a twin Bill introduced on the House
side
at
the same time, sponsored by Del. Williams. |
Would you be willing to travel to Charleston should I need some
committee
support during the Legislative session? |
| Thank you for your vigilance, and if there is ever anything I can do
for
you legislatively, please do not hesitate to contact me at your
earliest
convenience. |
|
Senator
Dave Sypolt |
|
