Pubdate: Fri, 07 Feb 2003 Source: Abilene Reporter-News (TX) Copyright: 2003 Abilene Reporter-News Contact: http://www.reporternews.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1106 Author: Chelsey Powers DESTROYED FROM INSIDE For Jim Parker to imply that actions of students who do not participate in extracurricular activities do not affect others is absurd. Student drug users come from all genres. I don't know what happy little world he is living in, but I see drug trafficking in our halls and am faced with them on a daily basis. I see the effect they have on the users, as well as those the users come in contact with. A friend of mine was assaulted by a boy who was under the influence of drugs. This boy claimed my friend had offended him and then proceeded to beat him with a baseball bat. He was out of school for three days. When a child is being harmed by another student due to the use of drugs, it is most certainly the parent's business and right to respond. My generation is growing up in a sad world. If things continue as they are, future generations are doomed. If we continue to take this "It's not my kid so I don't care" attitude, this country will be brought to its knees. We worry so much about terrorism and wars, yet we are allowing our country to be destroyed from the inside out. Forgive me if I want more for my future children than a broken nation without any hope or morals. CHELSEY POWERS Editor's Note: These letters were submitted by students in Melanie Ragland's journalism class at Hawley High School in response to Jim Parker's Jan. 24 letter to the editor, "Hawley drug testing invasion of privacy." - --- MAP posted-by: SHeath(DPFFlorida)