Pubdate: Sun, 13 Jul 2008
Source: Green Bay Press-Gazette (WI)
Copyright: 2008 Green Bay Press-Gazette
Contact: http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/contact/forms/editor_letter.shtml
Website: http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/879
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n655/a03.html
Author: Larry Lange

DRUG TESTS DON'T TELL STORY

DE PERE -- Thank you for your recent extensive coverage of the high 
costs of Wisconsin's drug culture. Thank you also for your article 
about the first year of De Pere High School's random drug testing program.

According to the story, "less than 1 percent, or fewer than 10 
students, tested positive for drugs." That's less than 3.64 students, 
which includes an unspecified number of whom refused to submit to the test.

It could be inferred from these results that drugs are not a problem 
at De Pere High School, but there is ample evidence to the contrary. 
That hardly any student tested positive for drugs indicates this is 
not an effective program for identifying and helping those students 
with drug-abuse and addiction problems.

The program may be ineffective because the testing does not include 
all students (only those who use the parking lot and participate in 
co-curricular activities) and the testing does not cover the most 
abused drug of all, alcohol.

The clearest results from the testing are that this humiliating, 
invasive, ineffective program is a waste of precious time for 
students and the staff members administering the test.

Larry Lange 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake