ROBERSON CLOSER TO DRUG TESTS FOR STUDENTS

ASHEVILLE - The Buncombe County Board of Education gave preliminary
approval Thursday to the concept of random drug testing for Roberson High
School students involved in athletics and extracurricular activities.

Though members unanimously embraced the idea, the board directed Roberson
Principal George Drake to work with Superintendent Cliff Dodson and central
office staff to come up with a detailed written proposal that would require
approval in two separate votes.

If approved, Roberson would join a small number of North Carolina school
districts that test some students for drug use.

Drake said he modeled the proposal after one used by Winston-Salem/Forsyth
County Schools for six years. He said he decided to act after having had
too many students crying in his office because they were caught using drugs.

"I sense that parents want to believe in their children, and I want to
trust our kids," he said. "But kids today have too much mobility, too much
money and too much freedom. I just don't believe they always have the
ability to walk away from drugs on their own."

The idea of testing students for drug use has plenty of support despite
arguments from critics that the practice violates privacy rights and lacks
proof that it keeps kids clean and sober.

President Bush has proposed giving an additional $23 million to schools for
drug testing next year. The Supreme Court in 2002 upheld the authority of
schools to test students who participate in athletics or competitive
extracurricular activities.

Roberson student Andrew Conner, 18, said he doesn't see a better solution
to drug problems at the school.

"Kids come to school all high and messed up," Conner said. "They already
suspend kids for doing drugs, and it's not working."

Classmate Trenton Thomas, 17, said he thinks drug testing goes too far and
would be counterproductive.

"Basically, they're just picking on the students," Thomas said. "It'll
build a gap between teachers and students. If they can't trust you, you
can't trust them."

Educators using the tests say they are a tool for early intervention and
prevention, not punishment.

Drug use has declined in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools since
drug-testing began, said Nancy Dixon, the district's program specialist who
tracks drug and alcohol use. When the program began, 5 percent of the
district's randomly drug-tested students failed. Last year, that decreased
to 4 percent.

"I think people thought it would eradicate the problem completely," Dixon
said. "Drug testing is not a silver bullet by any means. But it definitely
has made some changes."

Critics point to a 2003 study by the University of Michigan that found drug
testing failed to reduce illicit drug use among students, including
athletes. The university said its study of 76,000 students nationwide
showed rates of illicit drug use in schools that did drug tests were almost
identical to those that did not.

"But the federal government seems to have ignored the study," said Viany
Orozco, a research assistant with the Drug Policy Alliance.

The alliance and the American Civil Liberties Union argue that drug testing
is ineffective, violates a person's right to privacy, undermines trust
between adults and students and discourages teens from participating in
extracurricular activities.

"If you are not disturbing anyone and you are not a threat, there's no real
reason why someone should come and ask you for your urine," Orozco said.
"You are guilty until you prove yourself innocent."

Drake said he wants students' saliva tested for evidence of drug use, not
their urine. It's less invasive to a student's privacy. And Drake said his
drug policy would also try to protect students' privacy.

"I don't think parents realize or want to acknowledge the problem," Drake
said. "But parents need some help, and I need some help."

How it would work:

Athletes and other students in extracurricular activities would be randomly
tested for illegal drug use by submitting samples of their saliva.

Names of students testing positive would be sent to Buncombe County
School's central office, which would notify parents.

Students must then undergo counseling. Those who refuse or test positive a
second time would forfeit the right to participate in athletics or
extracurricular activities.