Pubdate: Wed, 19 Nov 2003
Source: Fresno Bee, The (CA)
Copyright: 2003 The Fresno Bee
Contact:  http://www.fresnobee.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/161
Author: Kerri Ginis, The Fresno Bee

DRUG CZAR BACKS AUTRY ON STUDENT DRUG-TESTING

The nation's drug czar is lending his support to Mayor Alan Autry's
continued fight for random drug-testing in schools.

John P. Walters, director for the Office of National Drug Control
Policy, met with Autry in the mayor's Fresno office Tuesday afternoon
for a frank discussion of student drug-testing -- a prevention
strategy touted by the White House Office of National Drug Control
Policy.

"It's an issue that we believe is fundamental and can change the
nature of the drug problem for generations to come," Walters said.
"We're looking for people that have the kind of leadership and
foresight [Autry] has to take this on."

In his first visit to the central San Joaquin Valley, Walters chose to
meet with Autry after reading a newspaper clipping about his State of
the City address in May in which Autry called on local school
districts to randomly test their students for drug use.

Walters also briefly met with officials from the Central Valley High
Intensity Drug Trafficking Area to discuss ways to combat
methamphetamine and marijuana in the Valley.

Drug-testing in schools has become more widespread since a U.S.
Supreme Court ruling in June 2002 broadened the authority of public
schools to test students for illegal drugs, Walters said.

The ruling allows schools to test students participating in
extracurricular activities, in addition to student-athletes. Autry has
not limited his proposal to students participating in sports or other
school activities.

"There is a moral obligation to pursue this," Autry said. "It's a
health issue."

Fresno Unified School District does not subject its athletes to
drug-testing, and officials have not made any move toward random
drug-testing.

Opponents consider such testing an invasion of privacy.

Richard Johanson, president of the Fresno Unified School District
Governing Board, said he does not see a reason to test Fresno students
for drugs.

"I'm not aware of a single incident, to my knowledge, of any abuse of
drugs by students in athletics," he said. "These kids are watched very
carefully. If we did have random drug-testing of our teams, it would
surprise me greatly if we did find a single instance of drug use."

Johanson criticized Autry for not including any school officials in
his discussion of the issue with the nation's drug czar.

Autry said he gladly would step aside and allow school district
officials to push for random drug-testing. But if they don't take up
the fight, he said, he will continue his effort even if he's no longer
mayor.

"You'll find overwhelming support by parents and the community at
large on this issue," said Autry who has made drug-testing kits
available to parents at community centers. "It's the school
bureaucracies in this particular area, the city of Fresno, that's
holding it back."

Nationwide, teen drug use is on the decline. Data compiled in a recent
University of Michigan survey show a significant downward turn in drug
use in nearly a decade among eighth-, 10th- and 12th- graders.

Random drug-testing in schools will help continue this trend, Walters
said.

Walters plans to continue discussing this issue with Autry. The
federal government already has set aside $2 million for student
drug-testing. An additional $8 million is proposed for the 2004 fiscal
year.

"All the data we have, all the science we have, says the time to do
this is now," Walters said. "The sooner we do this, the more lives we
will save."
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake