AFTER DELIBERATION, SD2 OKS METH QUESTIONNAIRE

Next week, students in all three Billings public high schools and two
of its middle schools will take a survey drafted by the Montana Meth
Project.

It will be used to measure students' methamphetamine use and exposure
to the drug and the effectiveness of the project's campaign against
methamphetamine use.

The Billings School District 2 board of trustees approved the survey
Friday at a special board meeting.

"I did have serious pause looking at the nature of some of the
questions," Superintendent Jack Copps said, adding that he was at
first going to recommend that the district not participate.

Copps was concerned that parents might interpret some of the
questions on the survey as an invasion of privacy, but after
considering the positive impact the Montana Meth Project has had on
the state, he said he reconsidered his decision.

Letters are being sent to all the parents of affected students.
Parents will be given the opportunity to not allow their children to
take the survey.

Copps said students will be told that if they feel uncomfortable
answering any of the questions, they can leave the entry blank.

"I think we've taken the necessary steps to allow parents to opt out
and at the same time taken the necessary steps to ensuring that the
Montana Meth Project has access to this information," Copps said.

About 75 students from each school will take the 40-question survey,
said Secondary Education Director Scott Anderson.

The survey will be administered in 50 school districts across the
state.

The Montana Meth Project was launched in 2005 by billionaire software
mogul Tom Siebel, who owns a ranch in Montana.

Through the Thomas and Stacey Siebel Foundation, Siebel has donated
more than $10 million to combat meth use through graphic billboards,
television and newspaper advertisements and radio spots.