Pubdate: Wed, 15 May 2013
Source: Orlando Sentinel (FL)
Copyright: 2013 Orlando Sentinel
Contact:  http://www.orlandosentinel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/325
Author: Warren P. Hudson

HEALTH, SAFETY PRIMARY CONCERNS IN SCHOOL'S DECISION TO DRUG-TEST

The Orlando Sentinel's Front Burner columns on Friday addressing drug
testing in schools illustrate that there are issues about which honest
people can disagree in good faith.

Harold J. Krent, dean and professor of law at Chicago-Kent law school,
and Debbie Moak, a mother whose family has suffered heartbreaking
tragedies associated with drug abuse, presented different sides of the
argument whether students should be tested for drugs.

Krent, a constitutional-law expert, correctly asserts that a private
school can legally drug-test its students. He questions, though, the
wisdom of doing so from the perspective of privacy and trust.

Our disagreement with Krent is rooted in the fundamental belief that
our school has a responsibility to protect the safety and health of
our students. The minimal invasion of privacy from taking a snippet of
hair is vastly outweighed by the obligation we have to all students
and all parents to provide a safe, nurturing environment that is
conducive to learning.

As educators and parents, we must communicate unambiguously our
expectations to children, and then hold them accountable for their
decisions and actions. Requiring accountability doesn't mean breaking
a trust. Personal accountability is essential in teaching children
individual responsibility and raising young adults who understand that
they are ultimately and inescapably responsible for their choices in
life.

Krent incorrectly speculates that Lake Highland Preparatory School's
administration believes the school has a prevalent drug problem. We do
not. But we do believe one child using drugs is one child too many.
Our objectives in drug testing all seventh-through 12th-graders,
followed by frequent random tests, are twofold:

Provide information to parents so they can get professional help for
their child who is struggling with drugs before it's too late.

Arm students who want to remain drug-free with an ironclad excuse when
subjected to peer pressure to experiment with drugs: "Sorry, I can't.
My school tests, and my drug use will be discovered."

This is a program promoting student health and wellness, not a
punitive or disciplinary program. A small hair sample, no thicker than
the lead in a pencil, will be taken from all middle- and upper-school
students at the beginning of next school year. Random, unannounced
tests will be conducted throughout the school year.

Students who test positive and their parents will be informed of the
test results at a confidential meeting with a school administrator.
Parents will be provided a list of local professional counselors and
substance-abuse resources. Responsibility rests squarely with the
parents for drug counseling and addressing their child's drug problem.

Lake Highland has no intention of intruding upon parental
responsibilities, but hopes that the information provided to parents
will be useful in addressing the problem. A second positive drug test
will result in the student being asked to withdraw from Lake Highland.

Adolescent brains are in a critical stage of development. Research
shows illegal drugs, including marijuana, cause long-term, irreparable
damage on a youngster's developing hippocampus.

Research also shows a strong, positive correlation between the age of
first drug use and serious substance-abuse problems as an adult. The
earlier a child starts taking drugs, the higher the probability of
drug and alcohol addiction later in life.

In 2010, the number of deaths nationwide from drug overdoses (38,329)
exceeded the number of deaths from motor-vehicle accidents (32,885).
The numbers and research cry out for us to do more than passively
accept illegal, self-destructive behavior and merely provide drug and
alcohol education, which has been only partially successful in keeping
children drug-free in our toxic popular culture.

The issue of privacy is a legitimate one, but when you compare a
minuscule clipping of hair on one side to the health, safety and
well-being of children on the other, there's no question what side
Lake Highland Preparatory School is on - the side of children and
families, helping children say no to destructive, illegal drugs,
holding children accountable for their decisions, and reinforcing with
consequences the drug education we continue to provide.

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Warren P. Hudson has been president of Lake Highland Preparatory
School for 12 years.
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