Pubdate: Tue, 10 Jan 2006
Source: Monterey County Herald (CA)
Copyright: 2006 Monterey County Herald
Contact:  http://www.montereyherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/273
Author: Andre Briscoe, Herald Staff Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States)

TRUSTEES ENDORSE DRUG TESTING

Carmel Unified School District trustees moved a step  closer Monday 
to a planned volunteer drug testing  program for students in grades 
as low as eighth.

The unanimous endorsement of the program comes four  months after 
trustees heard a presentation from a high  school in San Clemente 
that has used the same program  for the past four years.

The comprehensive drug prevention program includes  education, 
counseling and parental involvement through  the district.

The mother of two Carmel High School students voiced  opposition to the plan.

"I'm horrified by this entire proposal. It's treating  our children 
as if they are criminals," said Ruth Smith  of Carmel, whose two 
sons, Nat, 18 and Dusty, 14,  attend Carmel High School. "If you 
treat students as if  they are criminals then they will act as if 
they are criminals. I see it as a completely misguided attempt  to 
coddle them and not teach them how to be responsible  citizens."

The volunteer drug testing plan is the administration's  approach in 
trying to stem what has been rumored for  years as a drug use problem 
among students at Carmel  High School.

Administrators responding to Smith's criticism said the  key to the 
proposal is that it is voluntarily for  students and parents.

"The only thing this policy forces is the conversation.  It takes 
both the students and the parents," said  Superintendent Marvin 
Biasotti. "The target is for  those students who are on the bubble. 
They're trying to  figure out what to do. They are being approached 
by peers... its purpose is to give them a few more tools."

Paul Behan, the district's coordinator of technology  and special 
projects, began researching the drug  program early last year. Now, 
with the approval of the  board, he is set to present a developed 
policy  regarding the drug testing program sometime in early  March.

"At the moment it's full speed ahead," Behan said.  "Right now it 
looks like at least the 8th grade through  12th. Maybe it'll be 7th 
through 12th."

The testing program would cost from $8,000 to $10,000  for one school 
year and would begin next fall. The  district is looking at picking 
up the entire cost for  about 1,200 students in three schools.

San Clemente High School representatives who spoke to  the board last 
September said the program has been  successful with 60 percent of 
the 3,200 students  involved.

With the implementation of the program, students and  parents will be 
given forms next fall that both will  have sign if the student is to 
participate.

Of the students who sign up, a quarter will be chosen  at random to 
be given urine tests throughout the school  year when a drug-testing 
company comes through the  district. Results will be sent to parents, 
notifying  them whether their child tested positive or negative  for 
drugs or alcohol. Behan said the cost per test  would be between $30 and $40.

"If 1,000 sign up then one quarter would be tested,"  said Behan. "It 
would still fall under $10,000 to do  the tests."

The program matches parents and students with  professionals to 
determine whether the use is  experimental, abusive or addictive. 
Students who are  repeat offenders are expelled.

The policy's first-time offenders are suspended for  five days, given 
a citation from the Sheriff's Office  and sent to the Clint Eastwood 
Youth Program at  Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula.

Now that the program is approved in Carmel, parents who  signed up 
will be responsible for disciplining their  children. Their test 
results won't be reviewed by  administrators.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom