Pubdate: Mon, 12 Mar 2007
Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI)
Copyright: 2007 Journal Sentinel Inc.
Contact: http://www.jsonline.com/news/editorials/submit.asp
Website: http://www.jsonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/265
Author: Laurel Walker
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)

DRUG TESTING TURNS SCHOOLS INTO ENFORCERS; TREAD CAREFULLY

Pewaukee School District officials are riding high on their student 
drug testing program, now in its third year, and they're spreading the news.

Officials from Hamilton and Arrowhead School districts in Waukesha 
County and Cedarburg in Ozaukee County, all at various stages of 
considering a similar program, have turned to Pewaukee for information.

Will they drink the Kool-Aid?

"It's awesome," activities director John Maltsch said in describing 
Pewaukee's program.

Each year Pewaukee tests 20% of its high school students in athletics 
or other activities - a total of 100 in each of the first two years 
and 130 this year because, contrary to one opposing argument, 
participation in athletics and other activities has increased even as 
its high school population dropped a bit, Maltsch said. There were 
three positives the first year, five last year and none so far this year.

A waste of money?

At $30 a test, he said, the deterrent tool is darned well worth it.

The first few testing periods brought some student angst, but the 
routine is apparently old hat now. An off-site computer generates the 
ID number of 13 students each time. Maltsch matches numbers with 
names, calls each individually to the office, "puts them at ease" and 
sends them to the nurse, who hands out and collects a urine cup.

With each test, Maltsch notifies parents, who have been 
overwhelmingly supportive, he said.

When the lab finds a positive, a physician contacts the parents. The 
school is notified and imposes the sole penalty - missed athletic 
games or events.

That's it.

Police aren't contacted. There's no suspension or restriction from 
practice. But there's also no school counseling or educational 
response triggered. That's left between parent and physician, 
Pewaukee Superintendent Marty Van Hulle said.

I've never been a fan of school drug testing. It focuses entirely on 
students most engaged in school yet legally can't reach those 
uninvolved in activities and most prone to risky behavior.

It can leave parents, who need to be the front-line educators and 
role models for their kids, off the hook. Like the popular trend of 
putting cops in school hallways, drug testing makes schools, which 
should be intent on prevention through education, more enforcer than educator.

Judging from the federal government's full-throttle push - announcing 
Friday that $1.6 million in student drug testing program grant money 
is now up for grabs - more districts may be joining Pewaukee, part of 
a distinct minority in Wisconsin. Nearby, Janesville ended its 
testing program; Oconomowoc considered but rejected one.

Nationwide, some districts in the country have lumped student drivers 
who park at school into the testing pool - an idea that has caught 
Arrowhead Superintendent David Lodes' attention.

He said Arrowhead administrators are just starting to collect 
information and he will ask the School Board's Policy Committee March 
22 if they should continue.

Wednesday night, the Hamilton School Board will have a one-hour 
presentation and study session beginning at 6 p.m. to learn all it 
can about the idea.

If nothing else, board members, administrators and parents should 
take their time. Don't chug the Kool-Aid.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom