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 - --- MAP posted-by: Beth