New policy lets schools to give students random breath tests

A northern New Jersey school district has approved a policy that will allow students to be randomly tested for alcohol at school events.

Chatham school officials say the district had a policy allowing school officials to screen every student at school events. But it never tested all the students for alcohol because the district doesn't have the devices to do so.

 Now the school can randomly test students at school events or as a pre-selected number. The new policy is effective immediately but is unlikely to be used until the district can buy alcohol screening devices.

The Chatham Board of Education approved the policy Monday night. The move comes as multiple students at school events have needed emergency treatment in recent years.

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