Pubdate: Tue, 14 Nov 2000
Source: Los Angeles Times (CA)
Copyright: 2000 Los Angeles Times
Contact:  Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053
Fax: (213) 237-7679
Website: http://www.latimes.com/
Forum: http://www.latimes.com/discuss/
Author: Ben Bolch, Times Staff Writer
Note: Times staff writer Jessica Garrison also contributed to this report.
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)

MATER DEI PRINCIPAL SAYS DRUG TESTING IS EVENHANDED

Of More Than 4,000 Students Evaluated Since 1997, Fewer Than 35 Had 
Positive Results. None Has Been Expelled.

Mater Dei Principal Pat Murphy on Wednesday said that of the more than 
4,000 drug tests administered since the private Catholic school implemented 
its drug-testing program in 1997, fewer than 35 were positive and no 
student tested positive on more than two occasions.

Murphy's statements directly contradict those of a former school nurse who 
has accused Murphy of giving preferential treatment to an athlete who 
tested positive for drugs four times. She sued the school and the Diocese 
of Orange on Tuesday, alleging she was wrongfully terminated after 
confronting Murphy.

Murphy has denied the accusation, and archdiocese officials have been 
unavailable for comment.

According to Murphy, no students have been expelled under the drug-testing 
program. He said a handful of first-time offenders have undergone 
counseling and a smaller number of repeat offenders have had certain 
privileges revoked or been given a detention. Attending a school-sponsored 
dance is one example of a privilege that has been restricted, Murphy said.

A third violation would result in the offender being asked to withdraw from 
school, Murphy said.

Sheila Azzara, the former school nurse, contends in her suit that the 
athlete who tested positive four times was never asked to leave school. The 
lawsuit says the principal "failed to appropriately address the 
student-athlete's positive drug findings and to implement the policies and 
procedures of the school's drug-testing program."

Murphy said he believes the program is fair and carried out evenhandedly. 
He declined to release documents relating to the drug program, citing 
student confidentiality.

Allan Gibson, whose son, David, played football at Mater Dei in the 
mid-1990s and is now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was among those who 
came to the school's defense Wednesday.

"I'm astonished that such a claim is being made," he said, recalling that 
his son was barred from playing a key 1995 Mater Dei game because he had 
not made up a detention. "And obviously, that's nothing compared to a 
positive drug test. In my experience, Mater Dei really adheres to the rules."

But others disagreed. When the teen allegedly failed his drug tests last 
year, it became well-known on campus. "[Parents] were surprised that 
nothing happened," said one parent, who did not want to be identified.

The school's drug-testing program was created, Murphy said, to give 
students "the opportunity to say no to drugs. The purpose is not to catch 
kids, to kick them out of school, it's to give them an opportunity to say no."

A computer selects students at random for testing, Murphy said, but 
students also may be required to undergo testing if they show signs of drug 
or alcohol use. "That has been done very, very rarely," Murphy said.

Part of Azzara's duties at Mater Dei included collecting hair or urine 
samples from students. She alleges in her lawsuit that she was relieved of 
these duties on Oct. 21 of last year. Don Edwards, an employee of 
Anaheim-based Integra Test, said his company began collecting on average 30 
urine or hair samples a week from the school four days later.

The samples are tested by an independent laboratory called LabCorp, which 
also tests college, professional and Olympic athletes, Murphy said. 
Students who test positive are retested at least twice a month.

The school's testing procedures are continually refined, Murphy said, by a 
committee that meets three times a year. The committee comprises attorneys, 
judges, medical personnel and a parent formerly involved with FBI and CIA 
drug testing.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens