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NORWALK SCHOOL BOARD HEARS PROS AND CONS OF TESTING STUDENTS

Nineteen-year-old James Judge joined about 35 parents and students confronting Norwalk school board with passionate arguments about random drug testing for students.

"I see the effects it has on my fellow students in high school," said Judge, a senior.  "I know several people who were on drugs who have had to go to juvenile hall."

Stephanie Broz, 20, a former Norwalk high school student and daughter of school board member Janet Broz and teacher Ken Broz, played sports and earned good grades.  Broz said she began drinking as a freshman.  The alcohol led to a heroin addiction.

"My parents were very involved in my life," Broz said.  "But I wanted to fit in and I was the biggest manipulator.  People were in denial."

In an effort to help other students avoid alcohol and drug addiction, Broz asked in October if the school board would reconsider random drug testing.

Ken Broz said he has supported random drug testing since it was first introduced in 1995.

Samantha Lanham, 27, said she started doing drugs ??" drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana ??" when she was 12 years old.  By the age of 17, Lanham experimented with heroin.

"After I tried ( heroin ) three times in a row, I was getting sick from it," Lanham said.  "I had to go out and try to get my drug all the time after that."

Now clean and sober for three years, and attending a 12-Step Program, Lanham supports random drug testing to identify youth with drug use early and to help them overcome problems associated with it.

"Drug addicts aren't 'less than,'" Lanham said.  "They do all deserve help."

As a child, Lanham felt she couldn't say "no" to drug use, but a test hanging over a student's head could be the excuse to avoid drug abuse, she said.

Lisa Hivnor, Foxmoor Court, Norwalk, opposed drug testing for select groups of children rather than the entire student body.

"If my child refuses a test, nothing better happen to him," Hivnor said.  "If my daughter is on her menstrual cycle and she refuses the test, I don't want that held against her."

Scott Ford, Fruen Street, opposes drug testing.

"It seems as though we are going from point 'A' to point 'Z' with no stops in between," Ford said.  Concerned with cost effectiveness, Ford asked if any programs would work in a way which would line up with privileges in the United States Constitution and would help the district avoid costly litigation.

Marie Fresch, Warren Drive, said her experience as a court reporter prompted her to support random drug testing.  Heroin use per person in Huron County is one of the highest rates in the state of Ohio, Fresch said.

She sees 18 year olds in court battling horrible cocaine or heroin habits.

"Their lives are over," Fresch said.  "I would have no problem if they would pull my daughter out to be tested.  I pray that she would not be in drugs.  But I would want to know."

Peggy Wood, Cleveland Road, said she also began drinking at age 12.  Peer pressure affects teens in a strong way.

"I urge you to listen to the voices of students, because they know what's going on in the school every day," Wood said.  "If we think we know what it's like to live in their world, then we are most foolish."

Cindy Penza, King John Drive, said she wants to know if her children are drinking or taking drugs, but she knows a girl who would quit an extra-curricular activity rather than urinate in a cup for someone.

Penza begged the board to focus on education and a program which would impact the entire student body, rather than only children in extra-curricular activities.

Matt Lark, a representative from the Norwalk Teacher's Association, said the majority of members voted and unanimously opposed random drug testing for students.  ? Without citing sources of information, Lark said studies show random drug testing doesn't work.

Lark encouraged parents to Google: "How to pass a drug test."

An answer given on the Website was drinking a hazardous chemical.  The drug test may save one child but kill three, Lark said.  Also, a child may test positive because of medication for depression or allergies, he said.

Gene Witmer, Stoutenberg Drive, said he was chairman of a union in the 1990's, and problems with drug testing, such as false positive tests, can be worked out through organization.

Ruth Goodin, State Street, Norwalk, a dispatcher at the Huron County Sheriff's office, added urgency to the message.

"I work in law enforcement," Goodin said.  "And I need to tell you something needs to be done.  We're losing our kids."

School Board President Michael Grose said a committee charged by the school board to study random drug testing includes: Groze, Janet Broz, Phil Charville, Jean King from the ADAMS board, Karen Russell from the Counseling Center, attorney Eric Weisenberger, and Kirk Pavelich.

The board was not prepared to act on the issue Saturday.