AT BUCYRUS, SCHOOL DRUG TESTS ARE HERE TO STAY

BUCYRUS -- In the old days, all students had to worry about in school
were the three Rs. In the 21st century they have to pass proficiency
tests, graduation tests and drug tests.

There's no studying and no extra credit necessary for the last one,
but plenty of help is available for those who fail it.

"The whole purpose if they get caught is to get the kids help,"
Bucyrus athletics director Tom Jeffrey said. "There are consequences,
yes; Just like there are in life."

Bucyrus adopted a comprehensive drug testing policy three years ago
and until this month was the only school in the North Central
Conference to screen its athletes for drug use. The Ontario school
board recently voted to begin its own program next year.

Many saw the program as inevitable at Ontario and as a new tool to
support students. But the overall reviews are mixed.

"I think it's kind of bullcrap," Ontario junior Andrew Greis-heimer,
18, said when the issue was still in the discussion stages.

Bucyrus tests all students who are involved in extra-curricular
activities like marching band, bowling club, ski club and even driving
to school -- not just athletes. The district tests at the middle
school level as well.

Ontario's plan as passed by the school board last week differs in that
only athletes and parents who want their children tested will be part
of the program.

The need for testing

"Drugs are more and more prevalent in today's society," Jeffrey said.
"Do I think they're bad kids? No. They're young. They make mistakes.

"But if you don't catch it early, it's going to be tougher and tougher
to stop."

Currently the Bucyrus program tests for alcohol, barbiturates, LSD,
amphetamines, marijuana, cocaine, methadone and other drugs.

All students involved in extra-curricular activities, or wanting a
parking permit at school, must pass a mandatory screening before
beginning the activity. Then they are subject to random tests that
occur on average twice a month at the high school. Middle school
students are tested every other time.

"Is it perfect? No," Bucyrus High School Principal Jim Oyster said.
"It works as a deterrent, but it's not perfect.

"I think we are preparing them for the real world. It's not OK in high
school and it's not OK in the real world."

Ontario has yet to finalize its policy regarding a positive test. At
Bucyrus, a positive test sets a string of events in motion, the least
of which for an athlete is missing a prescribed number of games -- 20
percent of the schedule for the first time, 40 percent the second
time. A third positive test means the student will be barred from
extra-curriculars for one year.

Jeffrey estimated that at Bucyrus there were 1,000-1,200 tests in the
2006-07 school year. Of those, he said, about one percent came back
positive.

The national average is 2-2.5 percent. The cost of the program --
estimated by Jeffrey at $15,000 to $20,000 annually -- was initially
covered by a grant.

Grants that would offset the costs of existing programs are being
pursued. Until one is secured, it will come out of the district's
general budget.

"Jim (Oyster) has said, 'I don't put a price on a kid's life,' "
Jeffrey noted.

Students testing positive are also required to perform 20 hours of
community service, participate and make progress in a drug assistance
program and pass three follow-up drug tests at their own expense --
all before they can rejoin their team and have privileges reinstated.

They are never cut off from their teammates. Just the opposite. "They
have to go to all the practices," Jeffrey said.

Drug testing history

Oyster and then-athletics director David Sheldon, now at Colonel
Crawford, were instrumental in instituting the program at Bucyrus.

"At Bucyrus, Jim Oyster made the charge. These days there are drugs in
school," Sheldon said. "We knew there was a problem. We could either
look over the problem or try to do something about it. "I'm a real
proponent. Talk to law enforcement in the (Crawford) county. There's a
real drug problem."

Oyster and Sheldon talked to several vendors who provided testing and
screening services, as well as mental health and drug abuse treatment
professionals before settling on the program they eventually adopted
with the support of Dr. Paul Johnson, district superintendent, and the
school board.

There were some problems and learning experiences, but Oyster and
Sheldon are sold on the value of the program.

"It's not to catch kids. It's to identify them and get them help with
their problem," Sheldon said. "Are we going to save all kids? No, but
we've helped a lot of them."

Jeffrey said no one has deluded themselves into believing the program
has eradicated drug from Bucyrus schools. But he is confident it is
doing at least three very important things.

First it is identifying at least some students who do use drugs and
putting them in contact with resources that can help them. Second, it
gives students another option of defense against peer pressure.
"Absolutely," Oyster said. "I talk to kids about this every time we
drug test. They say it gives them a way out."

Finally, the program acts like a police car parked in the median of a
four-lane highway. Just knowing someone in authority is watching is
often enough to affect an adjustment in behavior.

Jeffrey pointed out catching someone in the act of using drugs is much
less likely than through random testing. With the program in place,
the choice of using drugs or staying clean and passing a test are very
clear.

Taking a chance

Some students try to beat the system by timing their use to get the
drugs out of their systems before having to submit a urine sample, or
they figure they won't get selected for a random test.

"It's like the lottery," Jeffrey said with a shrug. "Some kids might
take a chance and say, 'I'm not going to get tested.' "

For the most part, the program has been accepted, or at least
tolerated by most Bucyrus students.

"A lot of kids don't really care," junior Tyler Carter said. He plays
football, basketball and baseball. "They think it is a good idea
because there are kids who do stuff. I'm all for it." There are those,
however, who simply refuse to take part and accept the consequences of
doing so.

"I think we have kids who park down the street who don't want to take
it," Oyster said. "Whether they think it is against their political
views to free speech or they're using, I don't know.

"Kids who are out of school have come up to me and said, 'Mr. Oyster,
if we would have had this when I was here I wouldn't be where I'm at
today.' "