Pubdate: Thu, 22 Dec 2005
Source: Boston Herald (MA)
Contact:  2005 The Boston Herald, Inc
Website: http://news.bostonherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/53
Author: Laura Crimaldi
Cited: Drug Policy Alliance http://www.drugpolicy.org
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States)

DISPUTED STUDENT DRUG TESTING STARTS IN NEW BEDFORD

The Bay State launched a controversial student drug-testing program in
New Bedford yesterday, handing the city $100,000 to fund a pilot
program that has drawn criticism from civil libertarians and some drug
policy experts. The program,  expected to start next year, lets
parents decide whether to sign up their  children for confidential,
random drug tests to be kept private from school and  law enforcement
officials.

"The  responsibility of the well-being of those students is with the
parents. We're  trying to provide the parents with an additional
tool," said New Bedford Mayor  Frederick M. Kalisz Jr.

The testing will  be made available to the parents of approximately
7,000 students in grades six  through 12. Children enrolled in the
program by their parents will be asked to sign a form acknowledging
their participation and have the right to decline.

A clinician will  administer a swab test that will detect alcohol,
marijuana, cocaine, opiates and  other drugs. Tests will be conducted
on school property, but parents and  students will be notified of the
results by mail and via phone calls placed to  their homes, said
program administrator Carl Alves. Students who test positive  will be
referred to family counseling. "We're looking at 35 to 40 percent
in the  students in our system reporting using some kind of drug
use," Alves said.

While the program  is touted by Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey, who proposed
student drug testing in May,  the issue has faced harsh criticism.
"The real issue  is that the dollars (would be) better spent on
hiring a counselor or someone who can sit down with students, look
them in the eye and find out what the  underlying problems are. Drug
testing just lets your students pee in a cup,"  said Isaac Skelton,
publications director for the Drug Policy Alliance. Civil
libertarians have raised questions about how "voluntary" the
program is when the  decision to enroll lies with parents. "There
are a lot more questions to be answered for this program," said
Sarah Wunsch, a Massachusetts ACLU staff  attorney.

Alexandra Cioper,  a New Bedford High School senior, said students
haven't been given much  information on the program."I know some
kids that really don't care because it's not going to affect
them, but there are others who think it's an invasion of
privacy," she said.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake