Pubdate: Mon, 23 May 2005
Source: Oregonian, The (Portland, OR)
Copyright: 2005 The Oregonian
Contact:  http://www.oregonlive.com/oregonian/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/324
Author: Erin Hildebrand
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n785/a02.html

DRUG TESTING MAKES NO IMPACT

As a mother of school-age children, I did my homework about student
drug testing before attending the meeting with Mary Ann Solberg,
deputy director of the White House Office of National Drug Control
Policy, school officials and nonprofit groups in Clackamas ("Summit
encourages drug testing in schools," May 12).

I learned that the largest-ever federally funded study found no
difference in drug use rates between students of schools that have
drug testing programs and those that do not.

Drug testing is expensive and invasive and undermines the fundamental
principle of trust in student and parent/teacher relationships. I
question our government's recommendation to implement drug testing in
our schools.

Erin Hildebrandt

Lafayette
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake