Pubdate: Thu, 04 May 2006 Source: North County Times (Escondido, CA) Copyright: 2006 North County Times Contact: http://www.nctimes.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1080 Author: Stacy Brandt, staff writer Note: Letters from newspaper's circulation area receive publishing priority Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States) VISTA UNIFIED'S DRUG-TESTING PROGRAM CALLED A SUCCESS VISTA ---- Vista Unified School District officials are lauding what they describe as the success of a random drug-testing program begun three weeks ago for high school students involved in extracurricular activities. No students have tested positive for any drugs so far, and the program is running smoothly, Gayle Olson, director of student support services, said Wednesday. Some parents strongly opposed the testing after the district's board of trustees approved it in February, school district officials said, but there have been no complaints since the program started. "After quite a lot of uproar, we began testing, and it has been pretty smooth sailing," said Rancho Buena Vista High Principal Richard Alderson. District administrators have said that most students and parents support the program. However, some parents said they think it violates teens' right to privacy. Royce Ramswick, a parent who in February attempted to organize opposition to the testing, said he plans to continue trying to fight the program. "I haven't forgotten about it," he said. "I kind of just let it go for now." Some parents said they were concerned that students would stay out of extracurricular activities to avoid being tested, but that hasn't happened, said Pat Moramarco, athletic director at Vista High School. In fact, enrollment in extracurricular activities has increased slightly this year at the school, he said. Extracurricular activities generally take place before or after school, and co-curricular activities are held during school hours. The testing was initially expected to begin in early March, but the district decided to wait until mid-April to clarify which student groups would be included in the testing pool. About 2,400 students have been included. That number could increase if parents of students not involved in extracurricular activities choose to place their teenagers in the program. So far, the students tested have been very cooperative, Alderson said. Each week, between eight and 15 students at each school are expected to be tested for alcohol, marijuana, opiates, cocaine, methamphetamine, steroids and PCP. Students will not be punished until at least their second positive test result in one year, district officials have said. The testing is paid for by a $211,000 federal grant, which the district has secured for at least the next two years. The schools are preparing information packets about the testing to send home to parents of next year's incoming freshmen. Moramarco said he doesn't expect any significant changes next year. "I don't see why we'd change it," he said. "It's gone very smoothly." - --- MAP posted-by: Lawrence Seguin