Pubdate: Thu, 25 Jan 2007
Source: Herald News (West Paterson, NJ)
Copyright: 2007 North Jersey Media Group Inc.
Contact:  http://www.northjersey.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2911
Author: Maya Kremen

PARENTS WEIGH IN ON DRUG TESTING

KINNELON -- The district is exploring a program that  could require 
high school students to agree to random  tests for cocaine, marijuana 
and other drugs in order  to participate in extracurricular activities.

Superintendent James Opiekun told parents at a forum  Tuesday night 
that drug testing would "help us address  a problem, just like a 
drunk-driving sobriety test."

But some parents worried that required testing could  reduce 
participation in sports and clubs, cost too much  money and curb 
students' rights.

"I've always been asked for my permission for scoliosis  tests, for 
physicals," said parent Vic-toria Maroldi.  "I can't believe that I 
would not be asked for my  permission for you to urine-test my kid."

If it's started, Kinnelon will be one of about 15  districts in the 
state with mandatory random drug  testing policies. There are 615 
districts in the state.  Under the district's current policy, tests 
are only  done when students are suspected of using drugs.

The forum, organized by the district to gather  reactions to 
mandatory and voluntary drug testing,  stretched past 10 p.m. and 
generated a heated debate.

Speakers, including representatives from Pequannock --  the first 
district in the state to institute voluntary  drug testing for 
middle-schoolers -- argued that  testing could curb drug use and 
create an atmosphere of  "positive peer pressure."

Pequannock also instituted mandatory testing for high  school 
students participating in extracurricular  activities in 2005 as a 
reaction to a series of fatal  overdoses. Since then, two high school 
students have  tested positive for drugs. They were stripped of their 
extracurricular privileges and required to attend six  follow-up 
meetings with a drug counselor, district  officials said.

Some Kinnelon parents worried that drug testing in a  small community 
would single out students who tested  positive. But Jamie Laus, a 
high school junior and  student representative to the Board of 
Education, said  he thought testing would "stop the fad of drug 
use."  Parent Diane Penola agreed.

"It would act as a deterrent," said Penola, the parent  of two 
district children. "I think it would open  parents' eyes."

Marijuana and prescription drug use continue to be  problems among 
high school students, according to the  school's substance abuse 
counselor, Priscilla Adams.  The number of young people arrested on 
drug possession  charges has also increased, authorities say.

In 2006, Kinnelon police made seven drug possession  arrests, more 
than they have in five years, Detective  David Crouthamel said. Most 
of the people charged were  in their teens and 20s. Most of the 
prospective buyers  were teenagers.

"They're mostly dealing to the high school kids,"  Crouthamel said.

For now, the problem is mainly marijuana, but  Crouthamel said he'd 
also heard of students exchanging  prescription pills. Police 
responded to three calls for  pill overdoses in 2006, he said. A 
college student  visiting from Pennsylvania died after she took a 
cocktail of OxyContin, Vicodin and Percocet.

Board members will discuss the possibility of  organizing a drug 
testing task force at a Feb. 22  meeting.

"It's something the board is exploring," Opiekun said.  "We need to 
sit down now and decide how much more input  we should get."
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MAP posted-by: Elaine