Some Students Support It, But Most Dislike The Lt. Gov's Plan

Zack Morrissey and Sarah Stewart know the kids who smoke marijuana, use cocaine and dabble in heroin.

The Quincy High School sophomores, who said they don't use drugs, say random drug testing at high schools, a plan proposed this week by Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey, goes too far and is a questionable solution to the problem. "It's a tough issue, but I really feel it comes down to a question of privacy," said Stewart, 15. "(School officials) should have the right to punish you if you bring drugs into school, but not to randomly test kids." Said Morrissey, 16, "As long as kids are sober in class, what do (school officials) care." Healey presented the administration's plan to members of the Legislature's new Committee on Mental Health and Substance abuse. The issue immediately sparked debate in school lunchrooms and classrooms across the state. In an interview yesterday, Healey said random testing would be done only at high schools where the program has already been adopted locally, and only students whose parents have signed off on the plan would be subjected to the tests. The intention, she said, is not to target high school drug users for criminal prosecution, but to get them help.

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