Pubdate: Sat, 08 Dec 2001 Source: Amarillo Globe-News (TX) Copyright: 2001 Amarillo Globe-News Contact: http://amarillonet.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/13 Author: Bryan David Scott Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) TULIA SCHOOL OFFICIALS PASS THE TEST I have a small management services/consulting company based in Dallas; drug/alcohol testing comprises 98 percent of our business. I read your recent story, "Second Tulia family battles school policy of Tulia drug tests." I applaud the efforts and the fortitude exhibited by Tulia school board president Sam Sadler and board member Darrell L. Nelson to uphold their drug-testing policy in the daunting face of adversity, not because drug-testing is my business, but for the safety and well-being of the students. Have you ever stood near the casket of a young person who died from alcohol poisoning or a drug overdose? Have you ever experienced holding grief-stricken parents after the death of their child as they exclaim, "He was a straight-A student, member of the debate team, captain of the baseball team. My God! We never thought he was drinking or using drugs!" (Death appreciates naive parents like Alan Bean.) Our country and its ideals have changed dramatically over the course of four very short decades. What once was deemed strictly intolerable behavior is now acceptable under the guise of relativism. To this, I remind the citizens of our land or the words of William Penn: "Right is right, even if everyone is against it; and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it." Mr. Sadler, Mr. Nelson, and the Tulia Independent School District: Thanks for setting the standard and having the guts to stand behind it. Bryan David Scott, Dallas - --- MAP posted-by: Josh