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LEAD-IN BY HOST: Is drug testing coming to a high school near you? Richard Hannah takes a look at one rural Texas school that is going ahead with the practice. STORY: The 2001 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse suggests drug abuse among youth aged 12 to 17 is on the rise. Concerned that such behavior may be affecting the performance of their students, high schools around the country are looking for ways to curb illegal drug usage among teenagers. The idea of testing students for drug use has been considered as a deterrent. In June, the United States Supreme Court gave the green light to begin using this option when it ruled 5-4 that public high schools can randomly conduct drug testing of students participating in extracurricular activities. The Supreme Court's ruled that drug testing under this condition does not violate a student's fourth amendment rights against illegal search and seizure. In Texas, large school districts like Houston ISD have dismissed any type of drug testing because of the expense of the tests. Some administrators also feel the success of testing as a preventative measure has not yet been proven. But Lockney ISD, located 65 miles northeast of Lubbuck, is going ahead with the practice. Principal James Pool presides over the area's high school of less than 300 students: "Our board just adopted the policy last board meeting, this past month. And we are restating our drug testing policy for all extra-curricular activities." Pool explains why the school district is implementing drug testing: "There's a lot of people out there who don't think we're doing our job, but how can a teacher educate, teach a young person if they're coming to school and they're half out of their mind? If they're on drugs, if they want to sleep in class, and all that kind of stuff. So that's the general reason why we're doing it, we can't educate them if they're not coming to school with a clear mind." Attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union Policy Litigation Project, Michael Lenz, feels drug testing does not improve student performance. "Our studies clearly indicate that what happens of course is kids who are going to use drugs find a way around this kind of testing. The fact of the matter is what they should be spending their money on is teaching children the harms of drug use and educating them so that they won't be susceptible to using drugs and providing the funds if they are using drugs to help them stop using drugs. But tests is just something that appeals to some less sophisticated school district because they think it is a quick fix." Research assistant at the Drug Policy Alliance, Alexandria Cox, worked on the Supreme Court Case that OK'd drug testing for students participating in extracurricular activities. She still feels drug testing doesn't work. "We feel that drug testing is both humiliating for students, it actually might discourage them from participating in extracurricular activities because it is so humiliating. And that participation in those activities has been shown to be one of the most effective known deterrents to using drugs. In part, because those activities take place during the day, when students are most likely to be using drugs." But Pool still thinks drug testing is positive and should be expanded: "Yes,. I think if we're going to drug test, we ought to drug test everyone in school. And our old policy has it that we tested all faculty members, board members, anyone associated with the school was on the random drug testing list." Success with Lockney's new policy may provide the proof other schools in Texas need to consider implementing drug testing programs. Richard Hannah, KPFT News, Houston.
E-mail Richard Hanna at rad@hipweb.net .
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