Pubdate: Thu, 22 Sep 2005
Source: Boston Herald (MA)
Copyright: 2005 The Boston Herald, Inc
Contact:  http://news.bostonherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/53
Author: Charlie Breitrose
Cited: Students for Sensible Drug Policy http://www.DAREgeneration.com
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?219 (Students for Sensible Drug Policy)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test)

PRESSURE BUILDS FOR HIGH SCHOOL DRUG TESTING

The fear of being caught stoned in school is the best reason to begin
testing Bay State high schoolers, experts argue.

Panelists at yesterday's Student Drug Testing Forum said Massachusetts
should tackle drug abuse head on as other states are now doing.

The testing, they said, should be required for anyone playing sports
or taking part in extracurricular activities.

"By the time they are bold enough to show up (at school) using drugs,
it is already a problem," said Calvina Fay of the Drug Free America
Foundation.

But some invited to yesterday's forum at the Boston Sheraton Hotel
struggled with taking on drug abuse while trampling on privacy rights.

"We need to welcome at-risk students into activities," said Tom
Angell, from Students for Sensible Drug Policy. "We don't want them
on the streets, we want them to be in after-school programs."

Angell argued if educators start giving drug tests it will undermine
the trust students have with teachers and coaches.

But the deadly effects of teenage steroid use and the rampant use of
drugs and alcohol has educators considering drastic measures.

Salem is considering whether to institute a testing program. Noreen
Gachignard, chairman of the Salem School Committee, called herself a
"fence-sitter" on the issue.

"I am a single parent," Gachignard said. "My kid is one of the good
ones, she is on the tennis team, she studies. People say that's the
wrong person to test, but I need all the help I can get."

A random student-athlete drug testing policy passed in Oklahoma was
recently upheld by that state's Supreme Court.

The roundtable discussion was sponsored by Avitar Inc., a manufacturer
of drug tests for schools and companies. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake