Pubdate: Sat, 17 May 2003
Source: Fayetteville Observer (NC)
Copyright: 2003 Fayetteville Observer
Contact:  http://www.fayettevillenc.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/150
Author: Jessica Banov, Staff writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

CUMBERLAND COUNTY STUDIES SCHOOL DRUG TESTING

Testing Cumberland County athletes for marijuana and other drugs may deter 
students from using drugs, say school officials and coaches who are 
considering the move.

In March, a school board committee asked Fred McDaniel to review the 
options and the costs of a drug testing program. McDaniel is the school 
system's student activities director.

A committee of seven people, including principals, coaches and an athletic 
director, has been exploring ways in which drug tests could work in 
Cumberland County.

Many details and logistical issues need to be worked out, but committee 
members hope to make a presentation to the school board's policy committee 
next month.

McDaniel said coaches have approached him about the idea. They think the 
prospect of drug tests would convince students "on the borderline" not to 
try drugs.

"We know the hard-core kids who do drugs are going to do it," McDaniel 
said. "There are a lot of kids who might be on the fence. This would be a 
deterrent."

Expansion a possiblity

The program could be expanded to all students who participate in 
extracurricular activities, but committee members said they initially are 
focusing on athletes.

"We want to be proactive, not reactive," said Bob Paroli, football coach at 
Douglas Byrd High. "The reality is we have a society of young people who 
are prone to influences."

In March, school board members said that drug testing should include all 
students involved in extracurricular activities, not just athletes.

"In our situation as coaches and athletic administrators, we have to 
maintain a certain standard," McDaniel said. "We hold our athletes to that 
standard. We let them know we're serious about this."

Only a handful of school systems in North Carolina are testing students for 
drugs. Stanley, Gaston, Ashe and Northampton test athletes; 
Winston-Salem/Forsyth randomly tests students who participate in 
extracurricular activities.

Wake County has considered testing students, but school board members have 
not approved a plan.

The American Civil Liberties Union, which opposes drug tests, represented 
two students from Oklahoma in the most recent Supreme Court case on the 
issue in 2002. The ACLU's Web site says drug testing policies deter 
participation in extracurricular activities, violate Fourth Amendment 
rights and foster mistrust between students and administrators.

According to the N.C. Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which is conducted every 
two years, 20 percent of North Carolina students said they had used 
marijuana one or more times in the past 30 days. Forty percent said they 
had tried marijuana at some point in their lives.

A small percentage of North Carolina students have tried cocaine or heroin, 
but 13 percent have tried Ecstasy. The most recent survey was conducted in 
2001.

The test being considered in Cumberland County would test for nine 
categories of substances, including amphetamines, cocaine, marijuana and 
prescription pain relievers.

Tina Poltrock, principal of Seventy-First High, said drug education should 
be included in any new policy. She is on the committee studying drug testing.

"There is a concern at every school when it comes to issues of drug abuse," 
Poltrock said. "I think that anything we can do to deter it is important, 
and something we should be doing."

Que Tucker is the associate executive director at the N.C. High School 
Athletic Association. She said school systems considering drug testing 
should do a feasibility study before implementing a program.

She said the community and parents need to support the program. If a 
student tests positive for drugs, the student will need that support, she said.

She said drug testing should begin only after other drug prevention 
programs have been used.

"Is drug testing the way to go?" Tucker asked. "I believe it's the way to 
go if you've exhausted drug prevention options and the problem persists. 
And, if you're going to test all students involved in all extracurricular 
activities. Then I feel it should be a good thing to do."

Drug testing should deter students from taking drugs, she said, but the 
tests should not prevent students from getting involved in school activities.

"These kids need a place to be," she said. "One of their needs is to 
belong. If they don't belong to our programs, they will find some other 
place to belong."

Forsyth program

A drug testing program named "It's our call, It's my call" was implemented 
in Winston-Salem/Forsyth schools in the 1998-99 school year. Since then, 
the percentage of students testing positive for drugs has decreased.

Nancy Dixon is the program specialist for safe and caring schools for the 
Winston-Salem/Forsyth school system. She said the school system tests up to 
25 percent of students enrolled in the testing program at 10 unannounced 
times during the year. About 65 to 75 percent of the county's high school 
students are enrolled in the program.

The program came about after data showed that a high percentage of 
first-time drug violators - 46 percent - were athletes or involved in 
extracurricular activities, Dixon said. One of the county's high schools 
started a voluntary testing program. The school board decided to expand it 
to the county's 10 high schools.

"When role models are part of the program, that's a problem to us," Dixon 
said. "Being that (participation) is a privilege, we expect them to be 
positive role models of our schools. We expect them to be clean and sober."

When a student is tagged for testing, an outside agency notifies the 
student and his or her parents only if the test is positive for drugs. The 
company tests for all drugs, including steroids. If a student tests 
positive, he is offered counseling with a medical review officer and 
treatment, if needed.

The student will not face disciplinary measures and will be eligible to 
participate in activities. If the student refuses the testing or the 
treatment, the student is not eligible to participate in activities for 365 
days.

The Cumberland County committee is considering similar disciplinary action 
- - suspension from sports for 45 days or a season, depending on which is 
greater. Students would be required to go through counseling, but they 
might have to pay for it.

Junior Lajarsha Moses said she thinks drug testing should be in place so 
that student athletes are aware of the health risks involved. Lajarsha 
plays basketball and is on the track team at Seventy-First High.

"It would be harmful to their health if they do drugs," she said.

She said marijuana is the most used drug among teenagers. She said using 
drugs could hinder an athlete's performance.

Jasmyn Phelps is also on the track team at Seventy-First High. She agrees 
with Lajarsha but said she worries that drug testing might prevent students 
from competing in school sports.

"I mean, it will be good to keep them from doing drugs," Jasmyn said. "But 
there are a lot of people who do drugs that you might not know about. They 
might be star athletes."

She said some students might choose drugs over sports to avoid getting 
caught. She's not sure if the testing would stop regular drug users from 
using drugs.

"It depends on the person," she said. "They drug test at jobs. It still 
doesn't stop people from doing drugs."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom