WIDE-SCALE STUDENT DRUG TESTING PROPOSED

All Whitefish High School students involved in extra-curricular
activities could be drug tested beginning this fall if the Whitefish
School District board approves proposed new drug and alcohol policy
and procedures. The school board could vote on the issue as soon as
April 8.

Currently, 82 percent of Whitefish High School students are involved
in at least one extra-curricular program from cheerleading to debate
and would participate in the drug testing at the beginning of each
season. Also, random student names from the extra-curricular pool
would be drawn during each season for additional tests. Up to 20
percent of all participating students will be retested during the season.

The urine samples will be tested for alcohol, amphetamines,
barbiturates, benzodiazepines, cocaine, ecstacy, marijuana, methadone,
methamphetamine, morphine, opiates, oxycodone, phencyclidine,
propoxyphene, and tricyclic antidepressants.

The policy states that detection of alcohol or other illegal
substances will not be disclosed to juvenile authorities or criminal
authorities absent legal compulsion and "such detection will not be
made a part of a student's permanent record." Results will be
disclosed to the parent/guardian, student and school personnel with a
"need to know."

The policy and the reasons behind the new policy were presented at a
board workshop last week and will be re-presented at a public forum
beginning at 7 p.m. on Monday, April 7 at the Whitefish Middle School
Performing Arts Center. A copy of the proposed policy is also
available online at http://wfps.k12.mt.us.

"Anytime we are introducing something to our extracurricular program
or athletic program that might be controversial, community members
need to be heard," said Superintendent Jerry House. "We'll present our
program and there will be time for an open mike and time for the
public to respond with their ideas. Like the school bond, there needs
to be a time where you sit and listen to your community before you
make a decision."

One of the catalysts for the proposed new policy is the responses
received from the Health Risk Behavior Trends Among Montana Youth
survey given to students last November by the CARE coordinator.
According to the survey, 94.7 percent of Whitefish high school
students have used marijuana at least once, more than double the
state's average of 41.7 in the last Office of Public Information
survey. That figure rose from a 48 percent positive response at
Whitefish in 2005.

In addition, 57 percent of all students queried said they are current
alcohol users, drinking alcoholic beverages at least once in the
previous 30 days. Nearly half of all students, 49.5 percent said they
had participated in binge drinking at least once in the last month.
Binge drinking was defined as consuming five or more drinks in one
day. And 90.4 percent of students said they had consumed alcohol at
least once in their lifetime. The largest percentage, 29.7 percent,
were between the ages of 13 and 14 when they had their first drink.
Half of all students surveyed said they had tried marijuana at least
once, with the average age for first time use at 13-16.

Other questions that raised concern were related to suicide, sex, and
weapons. Six students said they had carried a weapon onto school
property in the prior 30 days. And 14.6 percent said they actually
attempted suicide in the past year. That figure rose from 4.3 percent
in 2005 and is higher than the state average of 10.3 percent. When
asked if they ever had sexual intercourse, 37.5 percent replied in the
affirmative.

There were 92 survey respondents, 51 female and 41 male. All were
between the ages of 14-18.

Coaches, students, the student resource officer and administrators
spoke to the board confirming the validity of the survey's results
from their individual personal experiences with the issues.

Assistant principal Jeff Peck said the rise in alcohol and drug use
among students at the high school was "alarming." He said there were
18 arrests in three months last fall between September and November
where one or more students were found with alcohol and or illegal
chemical substances.

"Seven out of nine of our extra-curricular programs were represented
in that figure," Peck said. "It's across the board. There is nothing
more gut wrenching than sitting with a young person that has nowhere
to go with no help at home and no help from any other agency. It's
something we need to address."

Board member and Whitefish Police Department Assistant Chief Mike
Ferda urged his fellow board members to move the policy forward.

"I'm passionate about it," Ferda said. "It is a very emotional issue,
and it's time to see if the community is behind us. Most parents want
what is best for their kids."

Ferda's daughter Courtney was one of several students who spoke to the
board presenting their opinions on the topic. A recent graduate of
Whitefish High School and award-winning athlete, Courtney said she
remembered one kid who came to school high back when she was in fifth
grade, and many occasions where her teammates at high school would go
out drinking every weekend, leaving her behind, due to her abstinence
from alcohol.

"I'd like to hope this plan is scary enough for Whitefish athletes,"
Courtney said. "It would have been a deterrent for some of my friends
in high school."

Trustee Amy Eddy said if the expectation exists that students will get
caught and consequences exist if they're caught, a tool has been added
for students to use to fight peer pressure.

"It bums us out if we expel kids for 30 days or 60 days and we're not
doing anything to help them," said Eddy said. "I'd like to see that
they need to complete a program in that time period."

"The plan is to help young people to say, 'No.'" Peck said. "And our
job as administrators is to preserve a safe school. The government has
told us we have a guardianship for the safety and welfare of young
people. It's time for action."