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 - --- MAP posted-by: Beth