Pubdate: Fri, 04 Mar 2005
Source: Athens Banner-Herald (GA)
Copyright: 2005 Athens Newspapers Inc
Contact:  http://www.onlineathens.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1535
Author: Carlton E. Allen
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

RANDOM DRUG TESTING A COURAGEOUS PROPOSAL

In its Feb. 25 editorial, the Athens Banner-Herald suggested the Commerce 
school superintendent's proposal to randomly test students for drug usage 
is not a proper policy.

For 13 years, I served as a youth minister, and one of my children is 
currently a student at Commerce Middle School. While I was a youth 
minister, rumors surfaced that some young people had brought and used 
alcohol on a ski trip sponsored by the church, a trip for which I was not 
present. When we began planning the next trip, I brought the matter to our 
youth council, asking them how they thought we should try to ensure this 
would not be a problem.

Their first suggestion was that there should be an announcement that 
everyone's baggage would be checked before we left. They were thinking the 
luggage wouldn't have to be searched, that the threat would be enough of a 
deterrent. But I told them if we announced a search, we would carry it out.

On the day of the trip, it was obvious one young man had not gotten the 
message. When he asked what we were doing, I told him, and he confessed 
there was a bottle of vodka in his bag. He had taken it from his house 
without his parents' knowledge. Because he told us up front, I allowed him 
to go on the trip with the understanding the bottle would stay behind and 
we would talk with his parents about the incident when we returned. Our 
goal was prevention rather than punishment.

Far from creating an atmosphere of mistrust, the result was that the young 
man became more active in the youth group and I grew closer to both him and 
his parents, and never had another problem with him.

Many adults face random testing at their workplace. Law enforcement 
agencies conduct random sobriety tests on the highways. Such efforts are 
not signs of mistrust so much as signs we are trying to come to grips with 
the reality of the times.

I would think the lack of a specific problem in the Commerce school system 
would make it far easier for the administration to simply pretend that our 
kids don't do those kinds of things. The editorial suggested the proposal 
is reactionary. I see it as a preventive measure.

 From my perspective, the superintendent's proposal seems a courageous and 
compassionate effort, and I'm glad my son is in the Commerce school system.

Carlton E. Allen

Pastor, First Baptist Church

Commerce 
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MAP posted-by: Beth