Pubdate: Fri, 05 Mar 2004
Source: Asheville Citizen-Times (NC)
Copyright: 2004 Asheville Citizen-Times
Contact:  http://www.citizen-times.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/863
Authors: Clarke Morrison, and Amy Miller
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

ROBERSON CLOSER TO DRUG TESTS FOR STUDENTS

ASHEVILLE - The Buncombe County Board of Education gave preliminary 
approval Thursday to the concept of random drug testing for Roberson High 
School students involved in athletics and extracurricular activities.

Though members unanimously embraced the idea, the board directed Roberson 
Principal George Drake to work with Superintendent Cliff Dodson and central 
office staff to come up with a detailed written proposal that would require 
approval in two separate votes.

If approved, Roberson would join a small number of North Carolina school 
districts that test some students for drug use.

Drake said he modeled the proposal after one used by Winston-Salem/Forsyth 
County Schools for six years. He said he decided to act after having had 
too many students crying in his office because they were caught using drugs.

"I sense that parents want to believe in their children, and I want to 
trust our kids," he said. "But kids today have too much mobility, too much 
money and too much freedom. I just don't believe they always have the 
ability to walk away from drugs on their own."

The idea of testing students for drug use has plenty of support despite 
arguments from critics that the practice violates privacy rights and lacks 
proof that it keeps kids clean and sober.

President Bush has proposed giving an additional $23 million to schools for 
drug testing next year. The Supreme Court in 2002 upheld the authority of 
schools to test students who participate in athletics or competitive 
extracurricular activities.

Roberson student Andrew Conner, 18, said he doesn't see a better solution 
to drug problems at the school.

"Kids come to school all high and messed up," Conner said. "They already 
suspend kids for doing drugs, and it's not working."

Classmate Trenton Thomas, 17, said he thinks drug testing goes too far and 
would be counterproductive.

"Basically, they're just picking on the students," Thomas said. "It'll 
build a gap between teachers and students. If they can't trust you, you 
can't trust them."

Educators using the tests say they are a tool for early intervention and 
prevention, not punishment.

Drug use has declined in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools since 
drug-testing began, said Nancy Dixon, the district's program specialist who 
tracks drug and alcohol use. When the program began, 5 percent of the 
district's randomly drug-tested students failed. Last year, that decreased 
to 4 percent.

"I think people thought it would eradicate the problem completely," Dixon 
said. "Drug testing is not a silver bullet by any means. But it definitely 
has made some changes."

Critics point to a 2003 study by the University of Michigan that found drug 
testing failed to reduce illicit drug use among students, including 
athletes. The university said its study of 76,000 students nationwide 
showed rates of illicit drug use in schools that did drug tests were almost 
identical to those that did not.

"But the federal government seems to have ignored the study," said Viany 
Orozco, a research assistant with the Drug Policy Alliance.

The alliance and the American Civil Liberties Union argue that drug testing 
is ineffective, violates a person's right to privacy, undermines trust 
between adults and students and discourages teens from participating in 
extracurricular activities.

"If you are not disturbing anyone and you are not a threat, there's no real 
reason why someone should come and ask you for your urine," Orozco said. 
"You are guilty until you prove yourself innocent."

Drake said he wants students' saliva tested for evidence of drug use, not 
their urine. It's less invasive to a student's privacy. And Drake said his 
drug policy would also try to protect students' privacy.

"I don't think parents realize or want to acknowledge the problem," Drake 
said. "But parents need some help, and I need some help."

How it would work:

Athletes and other students in extracurricular activities would be randomly 
tested for illegal drug use by submitting samples of their saliva.

Names of students testing positive would be sent to Buncombe County 
School's central office, which would notify parents.

Students must then undergo counseling. Those who refuse or test positive a 
second time would forfeit the right to participate in athletics or 
extracurricular activities.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom