Pubdate: Thu, 24 Aug 2006
Source: Brazosports Facts, The (TX)
Copyright: 2006 The Facts
Contact:  http://www.thefacts.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1406
Author: Glenn Krampota
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

NEGATIVE TESTS ARE A POSITIVE

According to the numbers, it's "school days" and not "school daze" at 
Brazosport ISD.

The news received recently by Brazosport ISD trustees  for the first 
year of the district's drug-testing  program were positive because 
results of tests at  Brazoswood and Brazosport high schools -- for 
the overwhelming majority -- were found to be otherwise.

Out of about 2,000 Brazosport ISD high school students  eligible to 
be tested, only 15 specimens came back  positive for drugs. Any 
student who participates in  extracurricular activities or drives to 
school can be  tested.

According to Brazosport ISD spokesman Stuart Dornburg,  814 tests 
were administered in the previous school  year, 579 (12 positive) at 
Brazoswood and 235 (three  positive) at Brazosport. That only 15 
tests came back  positive is a good sign for the district -- even 
school board President Jay Luce said he was surprised the  number was so low.

Those figures could indicate the program is achieving  one of its 
goals -- deterrence. The district, as well  as concerned parents, 
certainly should be pleased with  the numbers so far. But still, we 
must be mindful that  15 is just the number who were caught. Is this 
a true  indicator of how many students might be experimenting  with 
drugs and alcohol? As Luce says, talk in the  community suggested the 
figure would be higher.

And with the temptations out there, those numbers could  spike at any 
time. Vigilance by the schools, however,  goes only so far. The best 
deterrent to drug abuse by  youth always will be involved parenting.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman