DRUG TESTING TO START IN CLIO ATHLETES, OTHERS TO BE SCREENED

CLIO - Alarmed by reports of high alcohol and illegal drug usage among
students, Clio is joining other local schools and communities in putting
the pressure on young people to steer clear of banned substances.

The Clio School District will begin random drug testing of students in
extracurricular activities with the start of the new school year Aug. 24.

Clio is joining Grand Blanc and Lake Fenton to become the third district in
Genesee County to conduct drug testing on some students. Other communities,
such as Davison and Clayton Township, are selling home drug-testing kits
that parents can use to check their kids themselves.

"I think anything that we can do to give kids one more excuse to say 'no'
is worth trying," said Clio Superintendent Fay Latture. "We need to give
our kids more tools to help them say 'no.' "

The policy, approved July 27 by the Clio Board of Education, applies to
students in competitive extracurricular activities, such as sports,
cheerleading and chess.

Officials in Grand Blanc, which has been testing athletes only since 1998,
said most students support the idea.

But it may take getting used to for some Clio folks.

Registered nurse Julie Keyes has three teenagers at Clio High School,
including a daughter in girl's soccer, and said she doesn't support random
drug testing over privacy concerns.

"The problem is that a parent or child has to disclose confidential medical
information prior to taking a drug test," Keyes said. "For example, if the
child is taking a certain medication that the family feels is a private
issue. A lot of medications will give a false positive result."

Clio hasn't completed its written drug-testing policy, but it plans to
select 20 students per month for testing. First-time offenders will be
offered rehabilitation before suspension from school or activities, but the
district won't take second offenses lightly, said Fletcher Spears, Clio's
assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction.

The program would cost about $10,000 a year. The district hopes to offset
the cost by applying for a federal grant, Spears said.

Spears in April said at least part of the reason the district was
considering the policy was in response to a survey showing high drug use
among seventh-, ninth- and 11th-graders.

The survey showed that, within a 30-day period, the use of alcohol, illegal
drugs, tobacco and nonprescription drugs was higher among Clio's students
than in other districts throughout the county.

A 1995 U.S. Supreme Court ruling said testing student athletes for drugs is
allowable. The court broadened that ruling in a 2002 Oklahoma case, saying
schools can test students involved in sports and other extracurricular
activities.

Genesee Circuit Judge Geoffrey L. Neithercut upheld Grand Blanc's policy in
May 2003.

"So far we are getting a very positive response," said Grand Blanc
Superintendent Gary Lipe. "We survey our students after every round of
testing for their reaction to the program."

Grand Blanc tested 60 of 316 students participating in sports last spring,
he said.

"Nobody tested positive," Lipe said. "One thing we know is that during the
seasons when students are in sports, they're not using drugs. What they do
when they're not involved in extracurricular sports we don't have evidence
because we're not testing them."

Lipe said 48 of 50 students surveyed about drug testing backed the idea.

Parents remain fairly interested in seeing students tested for drugs, said
Genesee Intermediate School District Superintendent Thomas Svitkovich.

But he said the students being targeted for testing aren't likely to have
drug problems.

"I think overall (testing) will probably have a positive impact in limiting
drug use, but you (have) to understand the vast majority of students
involved in school programs aren't using drugs anyway," Svitkovich said.
"Most of them understand that drugs would detract from their ability to
perform."

QUICK TAKE

About Clio's drug testing program

What: Random drug testing for students competing in extracurricular activities

When: Starting this month with the new school year

Why: A survey found an alarming number of students using drugs

Cost: About $10,000 a year