Pubdate: Sat, 25 Mar 2006
Source: Tribune Review (Pittsburgh, PA)
Copyright: 2006 Tribune-Review Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/trib/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/460
Author: Lara Brenckle
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)

RANDOM DRUG TESTS NOT WIDELY EMBRACED

Evan Addams doesn't hesitate to comply when he is  pulled out of 
class for random drug testing at Seneca  Valley High School.

"I know a lot of kids who stop doing drugs so they can  play a sport 
or do an activity, so I would call the  program a success," Addams, 
18, of Cranberry, said.

President Bush has proposed increasing spending by 50  percent to $15 
million on high schools' random  drug-testing programs, like the one 
at Seneca Valley.  The goal is to help more schools pay for the programs.

The Bush administration touts testing as a way to curb  drug use and 
to prepare students for the workforce.

At least four area school districts have some form of  drug testing 
- -- Seneca Valley and Plum test students  randomly, and North Hills 
and Carlynton test on  suspicion of drug or alcohol use.

Some question the effectiveness of random drug testing, however.

A 2003 study in the Journal of Health, which  interviewed 76,000 
students grades eight, 10 and 12,  said random testing "may not 
provide a panacea for  reducing drug use that some had hoped."

Franklin Regional School District in Westmoreland  County suspended 
testing of student athletes about  three years ago because of 
questions about its  legality, Athletic Director Ron Suvak said.

Suvak said he supports anything that keeps students  away from 
illicit substances, but "we can't pick and  choose the rules we follow."

Seneca Valley officials, though, said they believe  their random 
drug-testing program, started in 2002,  yields results.

Students who drive to school, play sports or  participate in 
extracurricular activities are tested in  the fall and randomly 
throughout the year. The number  of positive tests has steadily 
fallen, said district  spokeswoman Linda Andreassi.

In the 2003-04 school year, 2,222 Seneca Valley  students were 
tested, of whom 36 tested positive. In  the 2004-05 school year, just 
23 of 2,482 students  tested positive.

Andreassi attributes the drop to students realizing "we  mean business."

There are no academic consequences for a student who  tests positive. 
Privileges, such as playing on a team  or having a parking pass, are 
revoked for a time until  the third offense, when such privileges are 
taken away.

"This is not a gotcha policy," Andreassi said."It's  about getting 
kids the help they need."

Plum Area School District last year started a random  drug-testing program.

District parents can enroll their children for the  testing in grades 
seven through 12. Students are  selected randomly, and results are 
shared only with  parents.

Like Seneca Valley, there are no academic consequences  for a 
positive test for Plum students. Parents are  allowed to handle the 
situation and, if necessary, any  treatment.

Lois Hill, of Plum, said she didn't hesitate to sign  three of her 
four children up for the program; a fourth  child isn't old enough yet.

"It takes the pressure off the child," Hill said. "(If  they're 
offered something) they can say: 'I can't do it  because my mother's 
putting me in this program.' Any  parent can be fooled."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom