DRUG TESTS DON'T TELL STORY

DE PERE -- Thank you for your recent extensive coverage of the high
costs of Wisconsin's drug culture. Thank you also for your article
about the first year of De Pere High School's random drug testing program.

According to the story, "less than 1 percent, or fewer than 10
students, tested positive for drugs." That's less than 3.64 students,
which includes an unspecified number of whom refused to submit to the test.

It could be inferred from these results that drugs are not a problem
at De Pere High School, but there is ample evidence to the contrary.
That hardly any student tested positive for drugs indicates this is
not an effective program for identifying and helping those students
with drug-abuse and addiction problems.

The program may be ineffective because the testing does not include
all students (only those who use the parking lot and participate in
co-curricular activities) and the testing does not cover the most
abused drug of all, alcohol.

The clearest results from the testing are that this humiliating,
invasive, ineffective program is a waste of precious time for
students and the staff members administering the test.

Larry Lange