OFFICIALS SAY DRUG-TESTING PROGRAM ACTING AS DETERRENT

Despite recent arrests of two athletes at Cape Fear High School for
drug possession, county school officials remain convinced their drug
testing program is helping deter students from drug use.

"We haven't had the incidents of drugs and alcohol we've had in the
past," said Fred McDaniel, student activities director for the
Cumberland County Schools.

"If a kid is a hardcore druggie, that kid's going to do it. There are
people on the fence that don't know which way to go. This gives those
kids an opportunity and a way to say no and pass up on that stuff."

If the testing results so far this year are any indicator, most
students are choosing not to use drugs.

Rita Parrish oversees the testing program for the county schools.
From September through the end of February, she said approximately
2,100 students have been involved in the testing pool.

Out of those, five have tested positive, she said. All were boys, all
for marijuana.

Testing regulations prohibit Parrish from revealing what schools the
positive tests came from and what activities the students were involved with.

She did say not all of the positive tests were from athletes.

Some of those who tested positive took part in other extracurricular
activities, which are also part of the testing pool.

Parrish said one thing some of the students apparently didn't
understand was that they remain subject to testing even when their
sport or extracurricular activity is not in season.

The response Parrish has gotten to the testing program has been
overwhelmingly positive, she said. "I even had a parent thank me on
the phone because we made them aware of a situation they had no idea
about," she said.

Parrish said the actual testing process at the schools has also
worked smoothly.

"The areas that we are testing are very secluded," she said. "We're
getting kids tested and back to class in a fast period of time. We
don't want to keep them away from their academic lessons."

Parrish said the most frequent request she's gotten is to expand the
testing pool.

The federal grant funding the testing does not cover every school in
the county this year, Parrish said.

She said all schools covered by the grant have been tested at least
once this year. She cannot reveal which schools are being tested this
year and which are not.

Testing will continue through the end of the school year, and could
even take place on the final day of school for students, June 10.

Parrish said the only problem with that would be what would happen to
any senior that tested positive.

"If it's a senior that is graduating, they will be offered
counseling, if interested," Parrish said. A positive test would have
no bearing on the student's academic standing and the senior would be
allowed to graduate, she said.

All state playoff competition would be over by then, so there would
also be no athletic penalties that could be imposed.

McDaniel said the county schools will do a major review of the
testing program after the second year, then at the end of the current
federal grant will decide if it should be continued or not.

Parrish is hopeful it will be continued. "Any program that can help
one child, one student, is a successful program," she said.