HISD DRUG POLICY DEBATED IN 2001

Drug policy took center stage this year as Huntsville Independent School
District discussed a controversial plan that would have required students
at HISD involved in extracurricular activities to be randomly tested for
drug use once a year.

A little more than a year ago, a recommendation by a Huntsville ISD board
member to implement mandatory drug testing in area schools created much
discussion among board members, students and concerned citizens.

After much debate, board members tabled the drug-testing policy in August
2000, and a school district task force was developed to study the problems
and issues surrounding drug and alcohol use.

At the September 2001 board meeting, board member Terry Vogler requested
board members discuss the issue in October.

Vogler said in an earlier interview evidence has shown that drug use has
been an increasing problem among high school and middle school students.

"The problem is not getting any better," he said. "A lot of teachers work
hard in the classroom to do their best with students and they need 100
percent of the students' attention. I believe it (drug use) has increased
and statistics would show that it is continuously increasing. It needs to
be addressed; if we can save one child then it is worth it."

Doug Karr, a senior on the Hornet varsity football team, said in an earlier
interview he "completely disagreed" with the proposal.

"They are bringing athletes out into the open," he said. "We are being
discriminated against. If you're an athlete and you want to be successful,
you can't do drugs."

In a 4-to-2 vote at October's board meeting, the HISD board of trustees
decided to "just say no" to the proposal for mandatory drug testing.

Task force member David O'Neil, a Huntsville attorney who provided legal
presentation for the committee, said after the ruling the board failed to
show just cause for randomly testing students when they could not
illustrate that a problem existed.

"When did we decide there was a problem? When did we decide that we didn't
need to look at the legal issues?," he asked. "We are the ones who are
going to pay this bill. I hear talk about, "if we help one child,' Well,
I've got a news flash. That's not a legal standard. If you proceed on that
course, you're going to get sued. You're going to lose. I don't know what
else to tell you."

The board's ruling spawned debate and left many board members concentrating
on what to do next.

J.T. Langley, president of the HISD board, said in an earlier interview
that although he was not in attendance at the board meeting, he feels the
issue needs further study.

"An independent survey conducted among students at Huntsville High School
and Mance Park Middle School indicated about a 30 percent incidence of drug
use among students," he said. "Those figures are much higher than the
figures accumulated by the drug task force appointed to study the issue for
the school board. That's a pretty high number. Even if you took a third
off, you're still looking at 20 percent or better. We need to readdress our
survey. We need to determine whether it's good."

Board member Patrick Antwi, who presided over the meeting in Langley's
absence, agreed discussion on the issue must continue.

"I think from the discussion we had...we need to look at a plan or a policy
that deals with substance abuse on our campuses," he said. "I think in the
end we may go to some kind of drug testing."

Although he voted against the policy, Antwi said in an earlier interview he
feels a problem with drugs does exist in HISD and believes it is the
responsibility of the board to address it.

"I do think there is a problem, and it's something we need to talk about or
workshop about," he said. "I believe that if you're a student, if you take
part in any extracurricular or co-curricular activity, you need to be
drug-free."