Pubdate: Thu, 13 Jul 2006
Source: Siskiyou Daily News (CA)
Copyright: 2006 Siskiyou Daily News
Contact:  http://www.siskiyoudaily.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/668
Author: Tim Rios
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

RANDOM DRUG TEST TALKS CONTINUE

MT. SHASTA -- A controversial issue Siskiyou Union High  School 
District has looked at in the past is  resurfacing at the request of 
the Weed and Mount Shasta  high school principals.

The item up for discussion on the district board's  agenda July 12 is 
random drug testing for elected  student officers and students who 
participate in  athletics.

The issue has been reviewed within several school  districts up and 
down the state, with one case looked  at by the American Civil 
Liberties Union. In the end,  most districts have opted not to 
implement the testing.

Siskiyou Union has been down that road before n this  isn't the first 
time random tests have been brought up.

District superintendent Dick Holmes said the issue was  "looked at" 
seven years ago but the district chose a  Chemical Awareness Training 
program from the Phonix  Institute of Arizona instead of random testing.

Adapted from a program originally used by Northern  Arizona State's 
athletes, the program relied on  student-led support groups held 
before and after  school.

In addition to the Chemical Awareness Training program,  Holmes said 
that the Siskiyou County office of  education also participated and 
supported training for  student-led groups among the schools.

"If students really wanted to abstain from drug use,  they'd join to 
reinfornce their refusal and coping  skills," Holmes said.

But last year, Holmes said the issue resurfaced after  the board was 
made aware of a rising drug and alcohol  issue among students.

"It caused us to ask if we were effectively addressing  the issue," he said.

The proposed plan calls for elected student officers  and athletes to 
be randomly tested via a swab in the  mouth. The frequency or method 
is still under  discussion but Holmes said two ideas involved either 
testing students twice per season or testing five  random students 
every Monday.

Holmes brought up other high schools in Corning, Colusa  and Del 
Norte that had "favorable" results as a results  of testing implementation.

He said that Fall River High School showed a "decrease"  in drug and 
alcohol use and that any school that  started the testing programs 
haven'tstopped.

According to an article titled "Princial: Drug-testing  students 
works" published on July 12 in USA Today: "In  2005, a Ball State 
University survey found declines in  drug use at 58% of 54 Indiana 
high schools that had  testing."

As for the question of cost, Holmes said school nurses  would be 
utilized for the testing.

But opposition to the program may be ahead.

According to a Drug Policy Alliance report entitled  "Challenges to 
Drug Testing Programs" which details  specific cases from school 
districts across the  country, the majority of school boards are 
reluctant to  implement testing.

Some point to briefs filed in Pattawatomie vs. Earl by  the American 
Academy of Pediatrics, the American Public  Health Organization, the 
National Education Association  and other health and education groups 
that all point  out that "drug testing is counterproductive to the 
goal  of reducing drug use among students."

Despite the polarizing opinions, Holmes said the board  is willing to 
have discussions about the program.

"We're still in the talking stage," said Holmes. "The  posture of the 
board is to support the principals. But  the board wants to hear from 
the parents."

And the community at large.

Principal forums at both Weed High School and Mt.  Shasta High School 
are scheduled for August 7 at 7  p.m.They are open to the public, 
according to Holmes,  who encourages those concerned over the issue 
to come  out and voice their opinions the the principals  themselves.

"We have a problem," Holmes said. "But the drug use and  the alcohol 
abuse are only symptoms of the problem.  There are other ways - if 
the community and the parents  can come together with something 
that's effective."

Two days later on Aug. 9, the board will discuss the  matter once 
more and then vote on the issue.

Holmes said that if the board adopts the plan, he hopes  students 
will look at it as "another tool in their  toolbox for life."

"We not trying to bust kids," Holmes said. "It's a  mechanism so they 
have another reason to say no to  drugs," he said.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman