Pubdate: Sun, 29 Sep 2002
Source: Bloomington Herald Times (IN)
Website: http://www.hoosiertimes.com/
Address: PO Box 909, Bloomington, Indiana 47402
Contact:  2002 Bloomington Herald Times
Fax: 812-331-4285
Author: Amy Hillenburg

MOORESVILLE PROGRAM SEEN AS MODEL

School's Drug Testing Heralded As Success Story By National Officials

Mooresville Consolidated School Corp. is known throughout Morgan County for 
its award-winning show choirs, its DARE program and multicultural efforts 
in the community.

What surprised administrators was the fact that its random drug-testing 
program was considered to be a model and success story by national drug 
officials and political figures in Washington, D.C.

Mooresville High School principal Chuck Muston, drug education coordinator 
Greg Silver and student Betsy Norton recently traveled to the nation's 
capital to answer questions about the school's drug-testing program in a 
news conference.

Muston, principal at Mooresville High School for the past two years, said 
the program was implemented seven years ago and was one of the first high 
school drug-testing efforts in Indiana. Mooresville's random testing policy 
caught the attention of national drug policymakers when it was included in 
a survey of schools conducted by the White House last year. A 
representative of the drug control policy office invited Muston and Silver 
to attend the news conference in February. The two administrators brought 
Betsy Norton with them because the 17-year-old cheerleader and show choir 
member wanted to share her feelings about student drug use.

Norton, a National Honor Society student, is involved in PUSH (Prevention 
Using Student Help), a drug prevention group at the high school. She was 
recently invited by NBC to visit New York and talk about the drug testing 
program on the air. Norton said she was eager to go.

"I always knew we had a good program here at Mooresville High School, but 
to be chosen out of the whole country as a model was a big surprise," she said.

Few Complaints

Silver said the high school pairs penalty and parental involvement in drug 
prevention and testing. Students who test positive for drugs are allowed to 
stay in school but are banned from special activities. He said most of the 
positive tests are the result of marijuana and nicotine use.

All students who drive and participate in sports, band or choir are subject 
to random tests. The school also conducts random drug searches of the 
parking lot and school building about twice a year.

Silver noted that with a student body of 1,300, at least 400 are tested 
during the course of the school year. The random testing is done weekly, 
and the administrator said more than 90 percent of those teens with a 
first-time positive test show up clean on their second test.

Silver believes most students have gotten the message that they can't 
continue to use drugs and participate in special activities as leaders and 
role models.

"There were complaints at first from a handful of parents who thought the 
testing was intrusive and felt that every single student should be tested. 
But over the last four years, we haven't had any," Silver said. "As a 
matter of fact, we've gotten calls from parents asking that their son or 
daughter be tested -- not many do, but that number has gone up to about 15 
this year. We can keep the request anonymous if a parent wants that."

Norton said if one of her tests proved positive, for example, she could 
practice with the show choir but would be banned from performing with them. 
As a cheerleader, she could attend games but would not be able to lead cheers.

Silver explained that the usual 42-day restriction period for these 
activities is halved to 21 days if a student and parent agree to 
counseling. The teen is retested at the end of that time.

If a student tests positive for nicotine once, the parent or guardian is 
notified, but there is no penalty. Silver said if they have another 
positive test, the 42-day restriction is enforced, but these young people 
may also choose to enter counseling with their parents and have the penalty 
cut to 21 days.

No Formal Policies

Martinsville High School principal Don Alkire said there is no formal drug 
testing program in place for the whole student body at this time. But 
students who have been on a probationary expulsion agreement and return to 
school are automatically part of a random drug testing and counseling 
program. Alkire said they are usually involved in this dual-check system 
for the extent of the school year.

Monrovia Junior/Senior High School principal Duffy Hagist said a random 
drug test has been discussed in the past, but like Martinsville, no formal 
program has been implemented.

"A drug testing company visited us two years ago to talk about its program. 
We got the name from the Center Grove school system, which was also 
considering random testing," Hagist said. "But the only students that 
company tested were athletes and drivers. We thought this was a little 
discriminatory, so the school board voted against it."

Since then, Hagist said Monroe-Gregg has relied on drug education via 
health classes and programs provided by the Morgan County Sheriff's Department.

"We've had them do some random drug searches at Monrovia Junior/Senior High 
School, and they also put on a boot camp for students with drug and 
behavior problems," Hagist said. "I'm not saying we won't implement random 
drug testing in the future, but the school board would have to vote for it. 
We have a close working relationship with the superintendent and members of 
the school board, so if at some point they think we need it, I would trust 
their judgment."

Hagist agreed with Silver and Muston that early parental involvement in a 
student's illegal use of drugs can make all the difference.

Two-Week Tests

Indian Creek High School has had a random drug testing program for the past 
four years, and athletics director Scott Martin oversees its operation. 
Students in extra-curricular activities, sports and driver education 
classes, as well as those who drive vehicles, are tested about every two weeks.

The program was interrupted by the school board last year because members 
were awaiting the outcome of a Indiana Supreme Court case involving the 
legality of another school's program. Martin said the 
Nineveh-Hensley-Jackson School Corp. has now reinstated random drug testing.

"In the past, the program was well accepted, and it has worked very well 
for us," Martin said. "Most of the students test positive for nicotine and 
marijuana. There is no penalty for drivers with a positive nicotine test, 
but we do send a letter home to the parents. If the student tests positive 
for marijuana, alcohol or barbiturates, we enforce a 30-day penalty, which 
includes driving and other activities. A driver must go to a couple of 
counseling sessions, and there is a parent conference. If the student 
doesn't drive, the parents have the option of attending counseling sessions 
with their children," Martin said.

He added that athletes who test positive for drugs in-season receive a "33 
percent penalty," meaning they miss a third of their games. And the 
students must attend counseling.

In the off-season, the penalty is the same, but parents can waive it with 
the understanding that the student will be randomly tested twice during the 
year.

"Most parents are glad to know if we call to alert them to a possible 
problem. We don't make this a punitive thing where students are expelled or 
arrested for a positive drug test. They are allowed to attend school, and 
we get the parents involved to help them address their drug use through 
counseling," Martin said.

Early Intervention

Mooresville's Norton, who is the daughter of Mike and Angi Norton, has a 
younger brother and sister, Patrick and Amanda. She said her anti-drug 
activities give her the satisfaction of knowing children like them will be 
kept safe.

"I think it's really important to inform people about the dangers of drugs 
and how they affect your health before it's too late. Down the road, kids 
who've been addicted to drugs will thank the school system for catching 
their problem early."

Norton said reporters in Washington, D.C., asked her if she thought drug 
testing interfered with her civil rights.

"I told them I didn't think it was an intrusion. If you're drug-free, you 
don't have anything to worry about."
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