DRUG-TEST RULING TO CHANGE LITTLE HERE

Monroe County schools will see few -- if any -- changes when the
Supreme Court rules on whether school drug testing can be extended
beyond high school athletes.

Many schools in the area require athletes to pledge to be drug-free,
but none in Monroe County is involved in drug testing, according to
the Monroe County School Boards Association.

The nation's highest court is expected to rule by summer on an
Oklahoma case challenging random drug testing of high school students
involved in extracurricular activities.

In a 1995 opinion, the court upheld drug testing of student athletes.
But the current case challenges the constitutionality of extending
drug testing to students involved in extracurricular activities such
as clubs, bands and choirs.

In Fairport schools, student athletes sign a statement promising to
remain drug-free. The school is considering extending the policy and
requiring all students in extracurricular activities to sign the
statements, district spokeswoman Mary Jane Yarmer said.

Ashley Cook, 17, a senior at Marion Junior/Senior High School in
Wayne County, said she, too, has had to sign waivers promising not to
use drugs in order to participate in sports.

"I don't agree with random testing ... but if there is going to be
testing, it's not right just to limit it to athletes," she said.
"Drug testing shouldn't just pinpoint one group of students."

The Monroe County School Boards Association does not have an official
position on drug testing in schools since no county schools are
involved with testing, explained Jody Siegle, executive director of
the association. But introducing drug testing to schools would
significantly alter the atmosphere, she said.

"Where you have no general suspicion of drug use, it does create a
different environment," she said. "There's a presumption of potential
guilt when you start random drug testing."

Denise Kerr, 16, a junior at Wilson Magnet High School in Rochester,
said parents should be the ones to decide whether their children
should be tested for drug use.

"I think we should mostly concentrate on violence in schools instead
of jumping to another big issue like drug testing," she said. "I'm
more concerned about that than I am about drug testing."