Pubdate: Sat, 20 Jan 2007
Source: Billings Gazette, The (MT)
Copyright: 2007 The Billings Gazette
Contact:  http://www.billingsgazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/515
Author: Laura Tode
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States)

AFTER DELIBERATION, SD2 OKS METH QUESTIONNAIRE

Next week, students in all three  Billings public high schools and two
of its middle  schools will take a survey drafted by the Montana Meth 
Project.

It will be used to measure students' methamphetamine  use and exposure
to the drug and the effectiveness of  the project's campaign against
methamphetamine use.

The Billings School District 2 board of trustees  approved the survey
Friday at a special board meeting.

"I did have serious pause looking at the nature of some of the
questions," Superintendent Jack Copps said,  adding that he was at
first going to recommend that the  district not participate.

Copps was concerned that parents might interpret some of the
questions on the survey as an invasion of  privacy, but after
considering the positive impact the  Montana Meth Project has had on
the state, he said he  reconsidered his decision.

Letters are being sent to all the parents of affected  students.
Parents will be given the opportunity to not allow their children to
take the survey.

Copps said students will be told that if they feel uncomfortable
answering any of the questions, they can  leave the entry blank.

"I think we've taken the necessary steps to allow  parents to opt out
and at the same time taken the  necessary steps to ensuring that the
Montana Meth  Project has access to this information," Copps said.

About 75 students from each school will take the  40-question survey,
said Secondary Education Director  Scott Anderson.

The survey will be administered in 50 school districts  across the
state.

The Montana Meth Project was launched in 2005 by  billionaire software
mogul Tom Siebel, who owns a ranch  in Montana.

Through the Thomas and Stacey Siebel Foundation, Siebel  has donated
more than $10 million to combat meth use  through graphic billboards,
television and newspaper  advertisements and radio spots.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin