Pubdate: Thu, 03 May 2007
Source: Springfield News-Leader (MO)
Copyright: 2007 The Springfield News-Leader
Contact:  http://www.springfieldnews-leader.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1129
Author: Donna Baxter
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

COMMITTEE TO EXPLORE SCHOOL DRUG TESTING

Logan-Rogersville Would Randomly Test Students Involved In
Extracurricular Activities

Rogersville -- Parents in the Logan-Rogersville School  District will
explore the possibility next week of  conducting random drug testing
for middle and high  school students who participate in
extracurricular  activities.

The first meeting for the steering committee studying  this issue will
be at 6 p.m. May 7 in the district's  central office at 100 E. Front
St.

"I am taking this step forward into a very  controversial subject, but
I am not doing it lightly,"  said school superintendent Allan Markley.
"I have  suspended over 20 students this year for drug use in  our
high school and middle school."

The goal of the committee will be to collect data and  examine area
programs that are currently in place while  coming up with a
recommendation to the Board of  Education, Markley said. The group
will meet often  during the two -to three-month study process.

"Our purpose is not necessarily to catch and punish  students for
using drugs but perhaps to give a student  another weapon to say 'no'
to the temptation of an  illegal substance," Markley continued. "I
believe it's  time to become more active in helping our students in
this area, and I am committed to that cause."

The inclusion of testing for staff in the policy is  also being
studied, Markley said. "We don't ask the  students to do anything we
aren't willing to do  ourselves."

He noted that state CDL license regulations require bus  drivers
submit to periodic drug tests.

"It wouldn't bother me to submit to it," said Tennis  coach and math
teacher Sarah Worsham. "From my  perspective, I don't see how that
(testing) could be a  bad thing if we found a kid who was in need of
some  help."

students' overview

Junior classmates Berea Flatness, 17, and Zach Craig,  16, agree that
there is a drug problem at  Logan-Rogersville. They added that it's
worse than it  appears on the surface.

Seeing friends get into trouble for doing drugs will do  a lot more to
deter drug activity than expulsion or  sending students who are caught
to the alternative  school, they said.

"Actually, they like the alternative school because  it's only a half
day," said Flatness. "I don't think  that helps any, but the drug test
will. When they see  friends get into trouble if they're using."

Craig said he would not object to the test and added  that it might
help someone make the decision to quit.

"It'd definitely be a good thing to get all the drugs  out of our
school that we can. It would make it safer  too," he said.

Flatness noted there are always some who will protest.

"But those who object are probably the ones who are  doing drugs. They
keep saying, 'It's a privacy thing;  it's a privacy thing,' but if
they don't have anything  to hide they shouldn't object."

She recalled hearing the parents of younger children  talking about it
at Dance Craze in Rogersville, where  she works.

"They were excited about it because it would help to  clean it up
before their kids get to high school," she  said.

Parents' concerns

Nino Francaviglia, owner of Paradise Bay Foods, has two  high school
sons involved in football and wrestling.  They would be included in
the drug-testing group.

"The first thing I would have to ask -- if I'm part of  the committee
- -- is what will they be testing for?"  said Francaviglia. "The other
concern would be what  kind of umbrella or layer of protection will be
  provided to the student as far as privacy is  concerned."

Francaviglia has become acquainted with many parents  and youngsters
in the community through his involvement  as a Mighty Mite football
coach.

He said that he knows of people in the community who  are concerned
about the rights and privacy of their  families, but they would
probably shy away from stating  so publicly though, he added.

"I'm very open minded

even with the Patriot Act," he continued. "They can bug  my phone any
time they want if it can make America a  safer place. Our community
should be no different than  our country."

Francaviglia, who pointed out the prevalence of  methamphatamine in
the Ozarks, said, "I tell my  teenagers that if you try it even one
time, you're  hooked. You can't experiment -- not even once."

Sheila Bohannon has children in middle and primary
school.

"Actually, (drug testing is) a good idea, but it  depends on how they
go about choosing who is tested and  how often it's done," she said.
"If just one child who  benefits because there's something going on in
his or  her life, I'm all for that."

"Personally, I don't think it's an invasion of privacy  when a person
chooses to do something to themselves  that's harmful," she said.

Testing elsewhere

Many area schools have already instituted a random  drug-testing
program or have one ready to go into  effect at the beginning of the
next school year.

Fordland Superintendent Brian Wilson said his district  has had a
policy in place since last fall.

"We were trying to be proactive," said Wilson. "It's  not an
opportunity to catch kids; we want to use this  (policy) as a
deterrent to give these kids an out where  they can say, 'No, I don't
want to do that.' But  there's no magic answer."

Branson Superintendent Doug Hayter said his district  also initiated a
drug policy this school year.

"If you're 16 and park on campus, you are put into the  pool for
random drug testing," said Hayter.

"By putting drivers in the pool, it includes kids that  are not
involved in an extracurricular activity. We  wanted it to be
consistent and test as many kids as  possible. If there are too many
that are not being  tested, it defeats the purpose."

 From a legal perspective, Hayter explained, the Branson  policy was
based on the concept of what would be  considered a right instead of a
privilege.

"In case law, every student is guaranteed a free public  education.
Extracurricular activities and driving are  not part of that," he
continued. "We could interfere  with the basic right to a free
education and could run  into legal problems if we test every child,
but testing  students for things that are considered privileges  would
fall within what is considered the legal  guidelines."

Hayter recalled a few students and parents who had some  problems with
the policy early on, but since  implementation, there have been no
complaints, he said.

The students say they feel it makes the school safer as  well as gives
kids an "out" with their peers, he said.
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MAP posted-by: Steve Heath