Pubdate: Wed, 27 Sep 2006
Source: St. Petersburg Times (FL)
Copyright: 2006 St. Petersburg Times
Contact: http://www.sptimes.com/letters/
Website: http://www.sptimes.com/home.shtml
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/419
Author: Eddy Ramirez, DRUG TESTING APPEARS LIKELY FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL ATHLETES

A Majority At A School Board Workshop Seems To Support  Random Tests 
That Could Begin Next Year.

INVERNESS - As early as January, high school athletes  in Citrus 
County could be required to submit to random  drug testing as a 
condition to play sports.

The announcement came Tuesday during a School Board workshop.

The program, called "Taking a Proactive Stance," must  still win 
approval by the board, but a majority at the  workshop seemed to 
embrace the idea.

Superintendent Sandra "Sam" Himmel has thrown her full  support 
behind the program, saying it is a positive way  to deter drug use 
among Citrus students.

Under the program, any high school athlete who tests  positive for 
illegal drugs, including steroids,  marijuana and alcohol, would be 
required to complete a  free, 12-week counseling program at the 
Centers in  addition to missing two sporting events.

If the same student fails the test more than once, the  student could 
be out for an entire season. Parents and  students must consent to 
the urine test; those who  refuse won't be allowed to participate in sports.

Eventually, the district hopes to expand random drug  testing to 
students who participate in extracurricular  activities such as clubs 
or the marching band.

School officials stressed that the goal of the program  is not to 
punish students but to give them an incentive  to be drug-free.

"It is an out," said Nancy Haydon, who spoke to board  members about 
the program's success in Marion County.  "Students can say, 'No. I 
don't want to party this  weekend because I've got to play football.' "

A similar program has come under scrutiny in Hernando  County, where 
board members are split about whether to  make student drug testing a 
way of life there.

Jonny Bishop, the new coordinator of special programs  in Citrus, 
cited statistics at Tuesday's workshop to  show that drug use among 
Citrus students may be on the  rise.

"We always say that marijuana is the gateway drug,"  Bishop said. 
"Unfortunately, it looks like quite a few  of our students have 
stepped through the gate."

Citing Citrus sheriff's statistics, Bishop said 48  percent of all 
high school student arrests last year  were drug related.

He also cited a 2004 random survey of middle and high  school 
students. Of nearly 700 high school students, 62  percent responded 
they had used alcohol.

Fifteen percent said they had showed up to school  either drunk or 
high at least once.

"As an administrator, it's very alarming," Bishop said.  "As the 
parent of two young kids, that also is very  alarming."

The district will hold a public hearing in January to  outline the 
new policy for parents. But first, the  board will take the idea to 
the coaches and student  athletes next week.

Haydon gave board members some advice to help sell the  idea to the 
community. "I think it's important for you  to understand that it's a 
way of life for kids," Haydon  said. "If you can get them off drugs 
early enough, you  can change their lives forever."

Random drug testing has been upheld by the U.S. Supreme  Court, as 
long as it is limited to students involved in  athletics and 
extracurricular activities, not all  students.
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MAP posted-by: Elaine