Pubdate: Fri, 10 May 2013
Source: Orlando Sentinel (FL)
Copyright: 2013 Orlando Sentinel
Contact:  http://www.orlandosentinel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/325
Note: Rarely prints out-of-state LTEs.
Author: Debbie Moak
Note: Guest columnist Debbie Moak is founder of notmykid.

Should Schools Drug-Test Students?

PROTECT KIDS FROM DRUGS - BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY

Our teens need and want us to shoulder more of the burden of 
preventing drug use.

Protecting our kids is a parent's primary responsibility. I've yet to 
meet an adult who would disagree that parents or other responsible 
adults are in the first position to protect, provide and care for our youth.

So the question becomes, how far do we go to protect our kids - even 
when it may be from themselves?

I say, whatever it takes. I am thrilled when I hear of schools like 
Lake Highland Preparatory that are willing to stand strong in an 
effort to protect our kids - despite the sometimes few resistant 
parents at a school - and drug-test students anyway. What a great way 
to show these young people that we really care about them and their futures.

My son smoked his first joint on a student government field trip with 
the leaders of the high school.

Do I blame the school? No. As a parent, I was in the first position 
of protection, and I missed my opportunity.

However, if the school had been randomly and regularly testing 
students before this trip, he may have chosen to say no to his peers 
when they offered him that first joint. "I can't; my momwill find out."

At the least, he may have tested positive, and I would have been able 
to intervene early before the problem grew into something bigger and 
more costly (emotionally and financially) to our family.

Regular and random drug testing serves as a deterrent. I don't know 
anyone who gets in his car and is thrilled to "buckle up," but we all 
do it because we know it saves lives. As the mother of a son who 
nearly lost his life to drugs and whose sister recently lost her 
lifelong battle with drug abuse, I wonder how many kids across this 
country could be saved from the flood of drugs onto their campuses 
with this one simple act?

One argument I've often heard is that drug testing breaks trust with kids.

Let's remember how trust is built. We set a boundary, then verify the 
boundary has been met by taking actions. Can we imagine a school 
where teachers and administrators simply told students to get good 
grades without taking actions to help them learn or testing them to 
see what knowledge they've acquired?

The boundary of getting good grades is set, and then a multitude of 
actions are put into place to see that students achieve academically 
by teaching, testing and review. Yet, the ultimate verification that 
the student is doing well academically is a test.

Drug testing is no different. It is verification that our kids are 
successful at handling a prevalent, overwhelming and ever-changing 
drug culture and that they are succeeding. Trust but verify. I've had 
the privilege of working with thousands of kids over many years. I've 
been a mother, a teacher and the founder of notMYkid - a national 
nonprofit organization that works to inspire positive life choices by 
educating our community about the consequences of destructive youth behaviors.

In each role, I've made it my priority to do whatever I can to 
protect children. Especially when the steps are as simple as drug 
testing, and the consequences of not knowing are so high. Over the 
past 13 years since founding notMYkid.org, I have been approached by 
hundreds of teens and have listened to their concerns. There is a 
great deal of stress and peer pressure around our kids and drug use.

Our teens need and want us to shoulder more of the burden of 
preventing drug use. With the average age of first drug use at 13, we 
owe it to our youth to help protect them. Our kids need and want our 
support and are looking for a way out of the situation.

Kudos to parents, teachers and administrators who are brave and 
willing enough to step up and offer another layer of protection to 
our youth through drug testing.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom