Pubdate: Tue, 31 May 2005
Source: Journal Gazette, The (IN)
Copyright: 2005 The Journal Gazette
Contact:  http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/908
Author: Bobett Kelley
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test)

AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES BEST DRUG DETERRENT

Students in extracurricular activities are the least likely to take drugs. 
This is common sense and is documented in research by the U.S. Department 
of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Department of Justice, the Indiana 
Prevention Resource Center and others.

Rather than spend $500,000 over the next four years on drug-testing 
students who participate in extracurricular activities, invest the money in 
books, teachers and technology. Schools already have means to educate, 
search and prosecute drug users. They need to use existing resources, such 
as lock-downs, searches and drug-sniffing dogs.

We need to get at the root of the problems that cause students to seek 
drugs. Parents should police their children, know where they are, what they 
are doing and who their friends are, and give their children daily 
structure. The community should not be discouraging extracurricular 
activities, no matter how much federal grant money comes to pay for drug 
testing.

Bobett Kelley

Fort Wayne 
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MAP posted-by: Beth