Pubdate: Sat, 15 Mar 2003 Source: Bristol Herald Courier (VA) Copyright: 2003 Bristol Herald Courier Contact: http://www.bristolnews.com/contact.html Website: http://www.bristolnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1211 Related: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n340/a01.html Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?135 (Drug Education) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) IS PEER COUNCIL AN ALTERNATIVE TO DRUG TESTS? A letter to the editor in Saturday's Bristol Herald Courier may be worth a second read by Bristol Virginia public school officials who are considering a drug-testing policy for students. And the read needs to be done before Monday's scheduled School Board review of a proposed policy to require drug testing of all students involved in extracurricular activities. The letter from Jeffrey Gill, a graduate of Washington County's John Battle High School and now a senior at Virginia Tech, suggests there are alternatives to attacking the drug problem. "I find it appalling," Gill wrote, "that Bristol Virginia School Board members are entertaining the notion of drug testing ..." Gill claims such a policy would "alienate those students who do have a problem with recreational drug use or abuse (and) further undermine the ideal surrounding after-school activities." He suggests a possible solution to the drug problem: peer councils in middle and high schools. "It works well at the college level," Gill writes, "and it would work even more so in middle/high school." We believe Gill's idea is worth considering, and for the reasons that he states: "Getting children and teenagers involved in the education and discussion involving drug use is the answer, not further alienating these developing minds from positive feedbacks such as extracurricular involvement." The board's drug-testing proposal would require any student and his or her parent or guardian to sign a consent to drug tests before being eligible for extracurricular activity. According to a story in the March 4 edition of the Herald Courier, a weekly urine screening arrangement would be established. A positive drug test, under the proposal, would result in notification of the superintendent, the student's parents and only the school personnel necessary to "implement the discipline and intervention provided for in this policy," Staff Writer Mike Still reported. A first positive test would mean the student is placed on 20 days' probation from any extracurricular activity and encouraged to seek treatment and/or counseling. A second offense in the same school year or any two consecutive school years would result in the student being suspended from any extracurricular activity that school year and the next. A third positive within two consecutive school years would would mean permanent suspension from any extracurricular activities. Well, that's certainly taking a firm stand. And those kinds of stands often work, if the board strongly enforces the policy. That sometimes turns into a lot of community debate as to whether some students get preferential treatment. We think Jeffrey Gill's alternative for peer councils would be worth serious discussion. Under Gill's proposal, a peer council would promote educational opportunities for students, who under "peer pressure" would likely think twice about drug use and abuse. Peer councils are used successfully by public schools. Take, for instance, Bay Springs High School in Bay Springs, Miss., which has a Peer Council consisting 24 students, six from each grade. This group of select students made a vow to stand up against drugs, alcohol and other harmful issues, according to the school's Web site. The Peer Council was organized during the 1995-96 school year. It promotes campaigns during the year and presents various programs and speakers to educate students about alcohol and other drugs. We like the idea and believe that formal student involvement in such activities is a worthy venture. We urge school officials, along with students, teachers and parents, to explore this option. Peer pressure can do wonders.