Pubdate: Sat, 23 Apr 2005 Source: Winston-Salem Journal (NC) Copyright: 2005 Piedmont Publishing Co. Inc. Contact: http://www.journalnow.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/504 Author: Danielle Deaver Note: The Journal does not publish letters from writers outside its daily home delivery circulation area. SHERIFF TO END SCHOOL GRANT He Questions Use of $56,000 for Drug Tests By Danielle Deaver JOURNAL REPORTER The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school system is likely to lose $56,000 in drug-testing money next year. Sheriff Bill Schatzman told school officials that he will probably withdraw the contribution that the sheriff's office has been making for years because he's not sure what school officials are using the money for. "We are looking to understand better what that money is being spent for and what kind of program it is and we're talking to the schools about it," Schatzman said. "Years ago the sheriff here was able to fund different initiatives here through the county that had different impacts, and there was money to do that with. Certainly our budgets are not what they were five or 10 years ago." He said he told school officials last year that he didn't think his office could continue to pay for the program. They asked for more time, so Schatzman agreed to pay the $56,000 for the 2004-05 school year, but he asked them to start looking for grant money, he said. School officials said they have not been able to find any grants that would allow them to continue the drug testing. If the sheriff still decides against paying the contribution, the school system will ask county commissioners for the $56,000 next year so that they can continue the program in 2005-06. The school system received $14,000 for testing this year so that they could expand the program from 20 percent of students to about 30 percent of students. Schatzman said he has concerns about what he's heard about drug testing. "I don't understand the mentality that says we're only going to drug test kids who sign up for voluntary drug testing," he said. "Why are we drug testing kids who say they're not using drugs. I don't know what that's about. I've got to understand it better." The drug-testing program has two components, both of which are voluntary, said Kathy Jordan, the program specialist for the Safe and Drug-Free Schools. There is an entirely voluntary component, called "It's My Call" in which students can sign a pledge vowing not to use drugs and offer to be tested at an time. The other part is called "It's Our Call." Students who are involved in sports, clubs or any other extracurricular activities have to volunteer to be tested at any time if they want to continue to be involved in their activity. About 63 percent of all high-school students, or about 7,500 students, are enrolled in the two programs, Jordan said. There are also about 3,200 middle-school students enrolled in an entirely volunteer program. The program has proven that it can really work, Jordan said. About 2.7 percent of students have tested positive this year, Jordan said. Students who test positive are given the option of going to Partnership for a Drug-Free N.C. If they decline, their name is withdrawn from the volunteer program if they're in It's My Call. If students who are in extracurricular activities decline to go to Partnership for a Drug-Free N.C., their schools are notified that the student is no longer eligible to participate in activities, Jordan said. Schools are not told why the students are no longer eligible; the drug-test results are never shared. Jordan said she hopes that something is worked out so that the program can continue. "It's giving students an out not to use drugs," she said. "It is serving as a deterrent." - --- MAP posted-by: SHeath(DPFFLorida)