Pubdate: Sat, 07 Oct 2000
Source: Daily Herald (IL)
Copyright: 2000 The Daily Herald Company
Contact:  http://www.dailyherald.com/
Author: Erin Holmes

DIST. 214 PASSES VOLUNTARY DRUG TESTING FOR STUDENTS

The Northwest Suburban High School District 214 school board Thursday 
approved a policy that will allow students to be tested for drugs on a 
voluntary basis in their high school.

Board members, who say they hope the policy can at least help some families 
address issues of substance abuse, unanimously approved the policy though 
the district's high schools may not unanimously support it.

It will be up to each individual school to decide whether to participate in 
the program. Schools deciding to participate can start as soon as they 
receive the test kits.

Staff members at some high schools have said they may not participate, 
citing reasons that include the feeling that drug testing isn't the 
responsibility of school officials.

"Some feel we're going beyond the mission of the schools," said Thomas 
Hansen, assistant superintendent for student services.

The policy, which will test students for drugs using a urine specimen, will 
be voluntary, meaning a school cannot force a student to submit to such a 
test. If a parent requests a drug test and the student agrees, specified 
school staff members will administer the test.

A positive test would give the school cause to search the student and the 
student's possessions and locker, and could mean consequences under the 
co-curricular code. The school also would be able to recommend drug 
treatment options.

Vanguard School and Wheeling High School have piloted the program and 
reported success.

At Wheeling High School, 20 to 25 students each year have participated in 
the voluntary drug testing program, in some cases because they want to 
prove to parents they're not using, Principal Dorothy C. "Dottie" Sievert said.

"It's a great program," Sievert said. "It's just a win-win."

The policy comes in the wake of the suspected heroin-related deaths of Ryan 
Fried, 18, of Buffalo Grove and Dane Anderson, 17, of Arlington Heights, 
both of whom would have been seniors at District 214 high schools. 
Officials said the policy is not related to the deaths.
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