Pubdate: Sat, 05 Feb 2000 Source: Ft. Worth Star-Telegram (TX) Copyright: 2000 Star-Telegram, Fort Worth, Texas Contact: http://www.star-telegram.com/ Forum: http://www.star-telegram.com/comm/forums/ DRUG TESTS FOR ALL? A West Texas school district is crossing the line. This Editorial Board has never been long on support of student rights. While children live with their parents, their rights -- within reason -- are restricted. But the good folk in Lockney, near Lubbock, go too far. Properly concerned about drug use, they've decided to drug-test all students from the sixth through the 12th grades and all teachers in the Lockney school district. If you say "no" to the test, you are considered to have failed it. Fail it once (or refuse it), and you draw a 21-day suspension from extracurricular activities, three days of in-school suspension and three sessions of drug counseling. A teacher testing positive is gone. Although one has to admire the intent, shouldn't there be at least a hint of suspicious behavior before subjecting all schoolchildren to a drug test? Random testing under certain circumstances may be necessary, but most teens are just teens. Some of them go terribly astray. Find those who need help and give it to them. But show a little trust and respect for the others. Send comments to --- MAP posted-by: Don Beck