DRUG TESTING AWAITS ATHLETES AT COLLINSVILLE

When Collinsville High School students return to campus this month,
some of them will be asked to sign forms saying they agree to be
tested, at random, for drug use.

The mandatory policy, approved last month by the district's School
Board, will make Collinsville the first Metro East high school to
first area district to approve mandatory drug testing. The program,
which encompasses all students involved in extracurricular
activities, also begins this fall.

Fort Zumwalt began a voluntary drug-testing program for athletes last
year.

At least two other local schools have approved drug-testing programs
for next year. Christian Brothers College High School in Town and
Country and Marquette Catholic High School in Alton will begin
testing all students in the fall of 2007.

Collinsville's program will apply to all athletes at the
2,300-student school.

The day before the athletic season starts, they will be asked to sign
a consent form and assigned a computer-generated number. Then, each
month, four numbers will be drawn, and those students will be
required to submit a urine sample, board President Jim Achenbach said.

"If you're an athlete, you're a football player, and you smoke a
joint, you're off the team," Achenbach said. The board "really want
to discourage students using illegal substances," he added.

"It's been tested in the courts," Achenbach said. "We have the right
to do this. It's a privilege to be on the basketball team, not a
right. That's the way we see it."

The board voted 5 to 1 in favor of drug testing, with one board
member absent.

Gary Kusmierczak voted against the measure, saying he believes it
could infringe on a student's privacy, among other concerns.

"Let's say a student suffers from depression and is on prescription
drugs," Kusmierczak said. "That could show up on a drug test. Perhaps
the student and the parent don't want people to know about it, and
now the athletic director does."

Kusmierczak said money for the program would come from a special
fund, currently worth about $6,000, held by the athletic director.

About 50 students would be tested a year, he said, at a cost of $25
to $35 a test.

"Why aren't we using this money for minor sports?" Kusmierczak asked.
"You go to the golf teams and they get, like, a sleeve of balls.
Booster clubs can only do so much."

Kusmierczak pointed out that eight of 600 athletes were disciplined
last year. "This is not a compelling percentage," he said, nor does
it indicate prevalent drug use.

Caleb Stroup, 17, a nose guard on the varsity football team, said he
isn't worried about the new testing. That's cool, he said. They can
do whatever they want, I guess.

Stroup said he hasn't heard much about the policy yet, and hasn't
heard many complaints from friends.

The tests will screen for alcohol, amphetamines, barbiturates,
benzodiazepines, cocaine metabolite, marijuana, methamphetamines,
opiates and nicotine, among other things. The test does not screen
for anabolic steroids.

If a student tests positive, he or she will be suspended from
competition for 21 days and must meet with a chemical dependency
counselor, the policy says.

Collinsville Principal Eric Flohr said Thursday that he supports the
program.

"In the northern part of the state, it's very common," he said. "I
think it's good overall. Something like this might protect kids.
Maybe we can get them help."

Kim Bell of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.