Pubdate: Wed, 14 Dec 2005
Source: Standard-Times (MA)
Copyright: 2005 The Standard-Times
Contact:  http://www.s-t.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/422
Author: Aaron Nicodemus, staff writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States)

SCHOOLS TO TEST STUDENTS FOR DRUGS

NEW BEDFORD -- A controversial plan to test students for drugs passed
the School Committee unanimously last night, and could be implemented
early next year.

The plan to test students for drugs was proposed two years ago by
Mayor Frederick M. Kalisz Jr. and School Superintendent Michael E.
Longo. At the time, the proposal was seen as a way to prevent and
reduce drug use among students in the city's public school system, and
act as an early warning system to parents that their child may be
using illegal drugs.

The Drug Free Student Assistance Program, funded for three years at
$500,000 in state and federal grants, is unique among school
drug-testing programs in that it does not have a punishment for
positive tests, and is completely voluntary.

In fact, program administrator Carl Alves said neither law enforcement
nor school officials would be notified of a positive test. Only the
parent and the student would be informed. Instead of punishment, a
positive test would trigger counseling and treatment.

"This is absolutely voluntary. No one is being forced," Mr. Alves told
the School Committee last night. "I think this will give parents a
chance to address substance abuse with their child."

Parents would sign their children up for the program, and the
individual students would have to sign "an acknowledgment of
participation." Should the student decline to take a test, the parents
would be notified.

The program would be available to students in Grades six through 12 in
New Bedford Public Schools, and a fifth-grader could be tested at a
parent's request.

Mr. Alves said he hoped the program would be up and running early next
year. He estimated that the program's budget could handle about 1,400
individual tests, with students who enroll in the program being tested
several times over the course of the school year.

Substances that would be tested for include marijuana, opiates like
heroin, amphetimines, cocaine and Valium. Alcohol would not be tested
for, Mr. Alves said, because it passes through the system so quickly.

After a series of public forums on the issue this summer, followed up
with focus groups with students and parents, several changes were made
from the original proposal.

In those forums, several young people expressed concerns that news
travels fast within school communities, especially if it became known
a student tested positive for drugs.

The original plan was to have school personnel -- a nurse or teacher
- -- administer the drug tests. In the revamped plan, all tests will be
conducted by an outside agency, which will bid for the work. The test
will consist of a swab rubbed inside the student's mouth.

Test samples will be sent to a laboratory, and results will be
provided directly to the parents and student. Any follow-up counseling
or treatment would also be done by an outside agency. While that
agency would keep records of all test results, those results would not
become part of that student's school record, nor would they be
released to law enforcement, Mr. Alves said.

"It will be completely confidential," he said.

Those same young people had asked that the tests not be conducted
within the schools. But Mr. Alves said having the tests done outside
the schools would be impractical. He said students would be notified,
discreetly, most likely with a note, that they should report to a
particular room at a particular time for the test.

Nancy Feeney, a School Committee member and mother of a student at New
Bedford High School, said she was initially very skeptical of the
plan. But she said she is more comfortable with the program now that
testing and test results will be conducted by an outside agency.

School Committee member Kevin J. Finnerty said he thought the idea of
student drug testing was a natural extension of the service that
public schools provide today.

"I don't think we can keep our heads in the sand," he said. "Schools
have become an anchor for many families. The days of just teaching
reading and math are over. Schools are expected to do more."

Ramona "Mona" Silva expressed the position of several School Committee
members when she said she was pleased that the testing and counseling
aspects would be done by a private entity, not school employees.

"This isn't the School Department's baby, this plan," she said. "We're
just providing the space." The program will also be administered by
Mr. Alves, who is a city employee with the Department of Health and
Human Services.

In the focus groups with about 100 students, about two-thirds of them
indicated that they thought their parents would sign them up.

The students also reacted more favorably to drug testing when
"incentives" were provided for keeping clean. "The possibility of
providing gift certificates and other 'incentives' are being
explored," Mr. Alves wrote in his report to the School Committee.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin