TURNER DISCUSSES DRUGS, TESTING WITH HHS STUDENTS

Getting a positive response from high school students -- unless of course
you're a pop or rock star -- is generally tough for an adult, but
Congressman Jim Turner came as close as any grown-up can to a standing
ovation on Thursday during a visit to Huntsville High School.

When asked how he felt about student testing in schools, Turner, D-
Crockett, said he believed students today "are probably tested too much."

That reply triggered applause from the almost 100 government, civic and
U.S. history students attending a talk Turner gave as part of his
month-long tour of public high schools in East Texas.

"I seem to be wading in deep here," Turner said, in further explaining his
initial response. "With TAAS (Texas Assessment of Academic Skills) and
other standardized tests, my objection is not that there shouldn't be such
periodic tests because it's a way to compare the progress of students and
classrooms all across the country. That's a good thing.

"But, I think that when we put tests on top of tests we get a lot of
teachers consumed with what we all have begun calling teaching to the
tests, and with getting an exemplary rating. That, I think is an
unfortunate direction for us to take."

Turner also addressed questions as to how and why he voted during the
impeachment process of President Bill Clinton, his stance on legalizing
marijuana and if he ever got to "chill" with the president.

"Yes," said Turner, "I guess I've chilled with the president."

When asked about his stance on legalizing marijuana, Turner said the
narcotic should remain illegal.

"The use of marijuana leads to the use of hard drugs. Of that there's no
doubt," he said. "It's wrong. It's illegal. And it should remain illegal."

Talking seriously with the students at the beginning of his discourse,
Turner said students should pursue a career they can get excited about.

"It's hard to get up every morning to go to a job you don't like doing,"
Turner said. "Your high school diploma is only the first step. Whatever you
choose to do, college, trade school, the military, or even politics, it'll
be a challenge. And when you get to be my age, your challenge will have
been to keep America where it is today, the only remaining super power in
the world. It will be up to you where this country will be in the next
decades. Whether we will stay up there as a super power, or let China,
Japan and some others growing in strength surpass us.

"Your political decisions will determine what we are in the future," he
said. "You will determine if we remain a stable society where every
American has the confidence that they can attain the American dream."

Turner's annual tour of the 19 East Texas counties he represents this year
includes stops at high schools where the congressman meets with students
studying government, civics and U.S. history, as well as with teachers and
parents. Turner said there are more than 80 high schools in Congressional
District 2, and he had visited about 30 during the past three weeks. Turner
was at Trinity High School earlier in the day Wednesday.

"It seems that up in Washington, everyone wants to offer their solution to
improving our schools, but they never sit down and listen to the students
and teachers," Turner said.

"The only way to represent folks as their congressman is to listen to
what's important to them and then do your best to be their voice in Washington.

"There is nothing more important than giving our children a first- class
education, and I intend to continue to work hard to make that happen."