Pubdate: Thu, 07 Feb 2002 Source: Times-Picayune, The (LA) Copyright: 2002 The Times-Picayune Contact: http://www.nola.com/t-p/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/848 Author: Harry Connick Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing) DRUG DEALERS HAVE 'ACCESS,' DISTRICT ATTORNEY SAYS Re: "School Board to finance drug testing," Jan. 29: Orleans Parish School Board President Ellenese Brooks-Simms, referring to our federal grant for drug testing and treatment and our offer to provide this program to high schools, said: "We know Harry Connick got $400,000 to continue his drug testing program, but he can't do that unless we give him access to our children. And we're not going to give him access to our children." Ms. Brooks-Simms must know that the district attorney's office already has access to "their" children (are they not our children, too?) and will continue to have access for a long time unless her biased attitude against drug testing changes. I invite Ms. Brooks-Simms to visit Orleans Parish Prison, Juvenile Court or Criminal Court. I invite her to read the monthly letter and statistics I send to her and the other board members that prove that virtually all juvenile drug arrestees have attended public schools. Long after I'm gone, the district attorney's office will continue to have "access" to public school students who use drugs unless our public school leaders open their minds and eyes, set aside their biases and realize they have abandoned their responsibilities to provide safe and drug-free schools. In the meantime, it is the drug dealers who have ample access to our children. Harry Connick District attorney New Orleans - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake