Pubdate: Wed, 29 Nov 2006
Source: Naples Daily News (FL)
Copyright: 2006 Naples Daily News.
Contact:  http://www.naplesnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/284
Author: Katherine Lewis

DISTRICT GETS FEDERAL GRANT TO TEST STUDENT ATHLETES FOR DRUGS

Random Drug Testing Could Begin As Early As This Spring, District 
Officials Said

Collier County Public Schools' student athletes are bright. They are 
well-known. They are role models.

And as early as this spring, they will become the first students in 
the school district to be randomly tested for drugs.

John Walters, the White House director of National Drug Policy, and 
Deputy Secretary of Education Ray Simon visited Barron Collier High 
School on Tuesday to announce $8.6 million in federal money for 
student drug testing programs across the country.

Collier County received $209,662 for its drug testing program, the 
second largest grant in the nation. The average grant awarded was 
about $125,000, according to Walters. Florida is the only state in 
the country to receive more than one federal grant for drug testing. 
The state received three grants, including Collier's.

"This is a great day for the community. It is a credit to this 
district that they did not have to wait for someone to die before 
they became proactive," Walters said. "This does not start with 
adults. This starts with people like you and people younger than you."

The Collier County School District will be testing student athletes 
and cheerleaders with the money received from the drug grant. The 
random urine tests could begin as early as the spring, but might not 
happen until the start of the 2007-08 school year, said Joe Kemper, 
Barron Collier High School's athletic director.

"This is not about catching kids. Our goal is to provide athletes 
with another deterrent to drugs," he said. "This is just another 
weapon in our arsenal. No one has said this is a silver bullet."

Students' urine will be tested for several drugs, including 
marijuana, amphetamines, cocaine, opiates and PCP. Walters said other 
drugs, including alcohol, are often too difficult to detect because 
they do not stay in the body for a long period of time.

"We look at this as a public health screening to help reduce a 
disease," Walters said.

The idea was presented to student athletes at Barron Collier on 
Tuesday afternoon to mixed results.

"I think it's a good idea, but I think they should test everyone in 
school and not just the athletes," said Olivia Cavileer, a 
14-year-old freshman on the dance team.

Walters said the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that schools are within 
their rights to test students in certain groups, like athletes.

Kemper said the athletes were chosen because they are role models.

"The athletes are not in one clique as some people might think. At 
this school, the athletes are friends with kids in the band, in 
academic clubs and other students. We want to create a culture of 
disapproval in this community and this school and we hope it trickles 
down," he said.

Simon said the athletes are some of the most visible students in the school.

"It is important to be a good role model," he said. "The opportunity 
for you to make the wrong decision is far greater than it was (when I 
started teaching) in 1966. Drugs, alcohol and tobacco are far more 
glamorized than they were before. The fact is, it's not glamorous at all."

Senior Craig Zyburo said he doesn't believe this will be a deterrent.

"They are not testing the athletes for steroids. Kids who play sports 
don't do anything else but steroids," said the 17-year-old lacrosse 
player. "And if a student gets busted for drugs and is kicked off the 
team, what is his incentive to stop doing drugs?"

Walters said the tests cost between $10 and $40 each, while steroid 
tests cost $100 each.

"We have found performance enhancing substance abuse at this level is 
very low," he said.

Walters told the students that, by law, a student's positive test 
result will be kept confidential with the student and his or her 
parents and the student will be referred to treatment.

"We want to keep the child in school while they are recovering from 
their dependency. This is a decision by this community. You are 
saying you will not lose anybody to this," he said.

Earlier this year, Dee Whinnery, the district's executive director of 
student services, presented the Collier County School Board with the 
results of a Florida Youth Substance Abuse survey, which was given to 
students in grades six through 12. The survey found that more than 60 
percent of Collier County students had used an illegal substance in 
their lives, and more than 30 percent had used an illegal substance 
within the past 30 days.

The survey determined that Collier County students were abusing 
alcohol, followed closely by cigarettes and marijuana. The conclusion 
of the survey determined that random drug testing could be a 
deterrent to students.

Barron Collier High School Baseball Coach Ted Parsons said he 
believes the tests are a step in the right direction.

"It's a huge problem at Barron Collier and at every high school in 
America. Until we do something about it, it is going to get worse," he said.
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