Pubdate: Sun, 23 Jul 2006 Source: Belleville News-Democrat (IL) Copyright: 2006 Belleville News-Democrat Contact: http://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1185 Author: Elizabeth Donald Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) DRUG TEST MARKS OFF COLLINSVILLE ATHLETES Its Effectiveness Is Disputed By Some Collinsville High School's athletes became the exception in the metro-east last week when school leaders decided to randomly test for drugs. Most local high schools don't test, primarily because the effectiveness of using tests to curb student drug use is questioned. But Collinsville High's new principal, Eric Flohr, advocates testing after his experiences at his previous high school, Dwight Township, which tested students in extracurricular activities for about 18 months. Dwight's program did not catch any students, but it did work as a deterrent. "It gave (the students) a way to say 'no' and save face," he said. That was a primary motive for the Collinsville program, according to athletic director Bob Hollingshead. He cited peer pressure as a major issue in students using drugs. Some Collinsville school board members said they would eventually want to expand tests to all students in extracurricular activities. Only board member Gary Kusmierczak voted against it, saying he felt it was "excessive and intrusive." In 2002, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that public schools could test students who participate in extracurricular activities. Schools may not test every student who attends school, however, because the students have the constitutional right not to incriminate themselves and they are required by law to attend school. Nick Rayburn, a senior football player at Collinsville High, said he didn't think drugs were much of a problem for Collinsville athletes. "No one cares (about testing) because no one does it, at least on our team," he said. Does testing work? According to a 2000 study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, students were four times less likely to use drugs if they were subject to random testing. But a 2003 study by the University of Michigan found no significant difference, and that study has been cited by the American Civil Liberties Union in its opposition to what it calls an ineffective, legally risky method that may drive students away from extracurricular activities. Yudelkis Russell, a junior and color guard member at O'Fallon Township High School, disagrees that tests would deter students from extracurriculars. "Everyone knows the consequences," she said. "This school is a really good school, they're really good about no drugs.... (Users) will do it anyway, testing isn't going to stop it." Andrea Cover, a sophomore and also a color guard member in O'Fallon, said it would deter participation. "It wouldn't bother me because I'd never (use drugs)," she said. "In my group of friends, there's only one or two who've ever done drugs or gotten really drunk... The only thing it would do is no one would go into extracurriculars." Most metro-east superintendents said they considered random drug testing to be a tactic of last resort, preferring to focus on preventive anti-drug campaigns. They don't rule it out as a possibility. "I'm not going to sit here and say we're different than any other school in the state or the country as far as dealing with students and drugs," said Edwardsville Superintendent Ed Hightower. "But we use a lot of preventive measures, and we have a strong code of conduct where the students know clearly what the ramifications of their decisions will be." In Belleville, new Superintendent Greg Moats said there is no current drug testing program, but the students do sign a code of conduct. There is no current discussion of drug testing, he said. Hightower said he believes schools should concentrate their efforts on programs that will help all the students, not just those in extracurricular activities. He pointed out that two or three students caught using drugs is small compared to the 1,500 students who are subject to the code of conduct -- a second disciplinary code to which athletes and students in extracurricular activities are subject. "With that involvement, they appreciate the responsibility that goes into it," Hightower said. Granite City athletic director Jim Greenwald said there is "a difference between a presence and a problem" when it comes to drugs. "I'd be the biggest fool in the world if I said out of a school of 2,300 kids there's no presence of (alcohol or illegal drugs)," Greenwald said. "But I believe it's minimal in terms of our athletes. I certainly don't know of every situation that has taken place.... But they know (the consequences), and it's no fun when you're sitting out for half the season or abolished for good." Most school leaders said drug testing would be something to consider if the drug problem appeared to get worse. While Collinsville had eight violations of its code of conduct last year, Edwardsville averages two or three, and Granite City reported none since 2004. Greenwald said when one district begins a program like random drug testing, all the others tend to take a second look at it, and he'll be interested to see what Granite City's board thinks. O'Fallon High School briefly considered random drug testing that would have affected up to 75 percent of students participating in extracurriculars. But after a student survey revealed that the drug of choice was alcohol -- one-third of seniors admitted drinking -- school leaders dumped the proposal in favor of reinforcing anti-alcohol measures. Kylie Scimio, a sophomore cheerleader at O'Fallon, said she didn't think testing would stop drug use. "I'm not against it, because it's important to keep drugs out of extracurriculars," she said. "But I think the ones who would (use) will start right after the testing ended." In Highland, a student survey sponsored by the state of Illinois has shown that alcohol is a much more serious problem than drugs -- though this year's results are not in yet. "If we have data that indicates that we've got problems we're not aware of, we have to look at our policies," said Highland Superintendent Marvin Warner. But Warner said they prefer to be "more proactive than punitive," beginning DARE at sixth grade and other programs beginning at the elementary level. "I think in certain situations (drug testing) may be something that's necessary, but I think it's something you do after you've exhausted other avenues to address the problem," Warner said. "It's toward the bottom of the list." - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman