ACLU SEEKS PARTICIPANTS FOR SCHOOL DRUG-TEST SUIT

The American Civil Liberties Union plans a legal challenge to a new
contract that allows random drug testing of Hawai'i public school
employees and is actively seeking people who want to be part of the
lawsuit, the group announced yesterday.

ACLU leaders will begin touring the state later this month to meet
with unionized public school employees who are subject to the tests
under the terms of their new collective bargaining agreement.

The group is looking for teachers and others who want to be plaintiffs
in the lawsuit that will challenge the testing program, said Lois
Perrin, legal director of the ACLU of Hawai'i.

"Our education system is failing students by resorting to dragnet
searches that do little to protect anyone while violating the rights
of everyone," Perrin said.

The Hawai'i State Teachers Association and the state earlier this year
agreed to a contract that would allow random drug testing of teachers,
librarians and administrative workers in the public school system.

Union members narrowly approved the contract with the state. The
policy is the first of its kind in the nation, the ACLU said.

"Hawai'i now has the dubious distinction of being the first state ever
to subject its teachers to a blanket policy of random drug testing,"
said Graham Boyd, director of the ACLU Drug Law Reform Project, which
will assist the state chapter in pursuing its lawsuit, which the group
said it will file "soon" in federal court.

During the upcoming meetings, Boyd will make a formal presentation,
"What Kind of Lessons Are Our Schools Teaching?" and discuss the
upcoming lawsuit.

The schedule of meetings:

Maui: Sept. 27, Maui Community College library conference room.

Hilo: Sept. 28, UH-Hilo Campus Center 301.

Kona: Sept. 29, King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel.

Kaua'i: Oct. 1, Kaua'i Community College cafeteria.

O'ahu: Oct. 2, UH-Manoa Art Auditorium.

O'ahu: Oct. 3, UH-West O'ahu.

All of the meetings are from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

For more information, call 522-5906 or see www.aclu.org/teachersjoinus.