'KIDS WILL SAY NO TO STUDENT COUNCIL'

Discussion About Morton Drug Testing Program Turns Heated

MORTON - Parents spoke out Tuesday about Morton High School's new
drug testing program for students during a sometimes heated meeting
in the Bertha Frank Performing Arts Center.

Students who participate in extracurricular activities or who wish
to purchase a parking pass will be subject to a random urinalysis
test in a program that will be administered by the Tazwood Mental
Health Center.

Testing will be done for substances that are considered illegal by
Illinois statutes. A positive test will result in penalties that are
dictated by the high school's activity code.

High School Activities Director Greg Pritchard, who is overseeing
the drug testing program, ran the meeting.

"We've been working on implementing this program since 2002,"
Pritchard said. "One reason we started it is students told us on
surveys that the high school needs more drug prevention efforts."

One parent shouted that the testing is a violation of the Fourth
Amendment of the Constitution, which guards against illegal search
and seizure.

But the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2002 that random drug testing of
students who participate in extracurricular activities doesn't
violate the Constitution.

Another parent opposed to Morton's program said he believes the
process makes students guilty until proven innocent.

"Kids will say no to Student Council, marching band and track
instead of saying no to drugs," the parent said.

A parent who supports the program said, "Everything starts at home,
and this will back up what I do at home."

Two other parents - one who favors and one who is against the
program - who asked to remain anonymous spoke with the Journal Star
after the meeting.

"I like the program. If my kid is on drugs, I want to know and get
her help," said one parent.

"It's my job as a parent to make sure my child isn't taking drugs,"
the other parent said. "We've given up way too many rights in our
country under the premise of making us safer. I don't feel as safe
as I did 10 years ago."

Pritchard was asked several questions about the privacy of the test
results, especially positive results.

"The results won't go beyond the high school," he said. "The police
won't know, colleges won't know, employers won't know, and
newspapers won't know."

But police will be notified if a student appears to be under the
influence of an illegal substance, a long-standing school policy.

District 709 Superintendent Roger Kilpatrick, who attended the
meeting along with several School Board members, wasn't surprised to
hear the opposition to the program, which was approved unanimously
by the School Board earlier this year.

"We're aware that some parents are philosophically opposed to the
program, but we believe most favor it," he said.