Pubdate: Mon, 09 Oct 2006
Source: Monterey County Herald (CA)
Copyright: 2006 Monterey County Herald
Contact:  http://www.montereyherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/273
Author: Clarissa Aljentera, Herald Staff Writer

CARMEL SCHOOLS PUSHING DRUG TEST

Mixed Reaction From Students And Parents

Parents and students at Carmel High School don't deny  drugs exist.

During after-school study sessions or weekend parties,  someone may 
tote a 40-ounce container of beer or a bag  of weed into the room.

Last year, district administrators instituted a  voluntary random 
drug testing program hoping it would  help students and parents talk 
about drugs and alcohol.

Students and parents are asked to sign a form  indicating students 
choose to be tested randomly during  the school year. Results are 
sent to the parents and  aren't shared with school officials. The 
program is  available to students at Carmel High School and 
to  eighth-graders at Carmel Middle School.

But while administrators have high hopes for the  program, some 
students think the district's approach is  a waste of time.

John, a 17-year-old student who admits using marijuana,  said his 
parents know about his occasional smoking and  are against the program.

"I smoke weed before I fall asleep sometimes, so I'm  not staying up 
til all hours," he said.

John, interviewed at a Carmel beach, said he believes  the money 
spent on the drug program would be better  spent on academic programs.

But district administrators defend the program.

"The two main intents for the program is to give kids a  reason to 
say, 'no,'" said Paul Behan, coordinator of  technology and special 
projects for Carmel Unified. "We  did it to help them have a 
conversation with their  parents or to trigger a conversation with 
their  parents."

Behan said the district has set up the system with a  drug-testing 
company to ensure confidentiality.  Students are given a code number 
when they take the  test and the code numbers are sent to the testing 
laboratory.

"The school doesn't get the code number," Behan said.

When parents confirm they have seen the results, the  results are destroyed.

Although the program is random and voluntary, some  students might 
feel pressured to sign up.

"If your parents ask why you aren't signed up, they  think you're 
doing drugs," said a 16-year-old girl, who  unwillingly signed up for 
the program and declined to  give her name. "Now, if you're at a 
party, you're going  to drink more because you can't smoke (marijuana)."

One mother, who declined to give her name, said it  would be more 
beneficial for a drug-testing kit to be  sent home with students 
during the first week of  school. The process would ensure 
confidentiality.  Parents would have the option to use the test or toss  it.

She said she purchased drug-testing kits and tested her  children. 
She said her son pleaded to be tested so he  could tell friends his 
mother was testing and would  have to refuse drugs and alcohol at parties.

"It is tough for kids to get all the way through high  school and not 
get tempted," she said.

Behan said sometimes parents who intend to use the test  may not know 
what to do when results come back.

He said parents who receive positive results from the  test company 
can call through the agency and get  referrals or go to a local 
behavioral health services  program to find a counselor.

School administrators haven't heard comments from  parents who 
received information in their  back-to-school packet in August.

"It has been flying under the radar," said Karl  Pallastrini, Carmel 
High's principal. "As principal, I  haven't heard a word."

Pallastrini noted that a little more than 200 students  signed up for 
the program.

An advantage of the program is that the school isn't  involved in 
testing and plays host to the company  taking the urine samples.

"It is very user friendly," he said.

Response at Carmel Middle School has been slow. Six of  the 180 
eighth-graders have signed up and only 45 of  them returned the form.

Response was lukewarm during a PTA meeting at the  school last year.

"Many middle school parents see them as children  through the eighth 
grade and not teenagers," said  Edmund Gross, principal. "Middle 
school kids are seen  as a younger group not involved in drugs and alcohol."

According to a statewide survey by the California  Attorney General's 
Office, the highest percentage of  students using drugs and alcohol 
is in the 11th grade.  The 11th biennial California Student Survey, 
released  Wednesday, showed that drug and alcohol use in 2005 and 
2006 is relatively low.

The statewide study revealed that students who drink  are heavy 
drinkers. Excessive alcohol use was reported  by 27 percent of 
11th-graders, 14 percent of  ninth-graders, and 5.5 percent of 
seventh-graders. It  showed that heavy or high-risk drug use was 
reported by  17 percent of 11th-graders, 11 percent 
of  ninth-graders, and four percent of seventh-graders.

Excessive alcohol was defined as drinking to get drunk  or binge 
drinking. Heavy drug use was defined as using  multiple drugs, weekly 
or daily marijuana use, or using  cocaine and crack.

The program at Carmel Unified School District is  expected to cost 
the district from $3,000 to $5,000.  The program will be reviewed by 
trustees later this  year to determine if it should continue.

Drug testing Students in Carmel Unified School District  who have 
signed up for the random voluntary drug  testing program: 8th-graders 
- -- 6 9th-graders -- 61  10th-graders -- 66 11th-graders -- 48 
12th-graders --  37
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MAP posted-by: Elaine