Pubdate: Sun, 22 Oct 2006
Source: News-Herald, The (Southgate, MI)
Copyright: 2006 Heritage Newspapers
Contact:  http://www.thenewsherald.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4015
Author: Jackie Harrison-Martin, The News-Herald

DRUG TESTING FOCUS OF TALK IN SWEDEN

HURON TWP. -- School administrators in Sweden's capital  might launch 
a controversial program and they are  looking to a Downriver 
administrator for insight.

School Supt. Thomas Hosler has been hand-picked by the  Institute for 
Behavioral Health to go to Stockholm to  talk about Huron's random 
drug-testing program.

The institute, which oversees the testing program in  Huron, 
recommended that Hosler addresses administrators  in Stockholm.

Swedish school officials were looking for someone in  the United 
States to advise administrators on what it  would take to implement 
such a program.

Hosler left for the five-day trip yesterday. He is the  only 
administrator from the United States asked to  attend a workshop on 
random drug testing.

The only other representative from the United States is  an attorney 
from New Jersey. He will discuss the legal  aspects of the program.

Administrators from other countries will be in  attendance. Huron, 
along with schools in Indiana,  Alabama and Idaho, are part of the 
same random  drug-testing program, which is funded through a grant 
from the U.S. Department of Education.

Testing began in this district of more than 2,000  students in the 
spring of 2002. Each year since then,  Hosler and Rick Dorn, athletic 
director, travel to  Washington, D.C., to report on Huron's program.

It has given Hosler national exposure.

Huron is one of two school districts in the state that  randomly 
tests its athletes and students in  extracurricular activities for drugs.

Administrators here believe the program has worked  remarkably well.

"I think more and more districts are interested in the  program in 
Michigan," Hosler said. "Before, there  wasn't much of a dialogue 
about it. It's being talked  about in their communities.

"Funding is the issue. Districts are leery about  bringing a program 
on board that is new and  controversial. This just isn't the 
(economical) climate  for it now. That is what I'm hearing. But, you 
can't  overlook the benefits."

When the program was introduced in Huron, it was done  as a way to 
give students a tool to say "no" to drugs  and alcohol.

The superintendent said school officials in Sweden are  seeing the 
harmful effects of drugs with their  students, so they are looking 
for a way to combat that.

Resistance to Huron's testing program never reached the  level some 
anticipated.

"There was some noise initially, but the opposition  hasn't been 
huge," Hosler said. "I credit that to the  Board of Education and the 
way they went about getting  community input."

The superintendent also gives a good deal of credit to  Dorn, who put 
the policy for the program together. He  said no one was caught 
off-guard when the testing  began.

Hosler's flight and lodging is being paid for by  Swedish school officials.

Before departing, the superintendent admitted that he  was somewhat nervous.

Being probed about the drug-testing program and all of  its 
components and serving as the sole administrator  from the United 
States is not what has Hosler on edge.

"That's the easy part," he said. "I'm a little nervous  about flying."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Elaine