A TOOL TO REDUCE THE DRUG ABUSE BY STUDENTS

The Aug. 23 editorial "The right decision" is wrong in its conclusions and
directly opposite The Star's own corporate practice. Testing students for
substance abuse has become a significant tool for local school districts in
their work to reduce and eliminate substance use by students. The data show
that progress is being made and that students today use illegal substances
at a rate far below prior years. What made the difference?

For many communities, drug task forces working with school leaders,
teachers, parents and students, have found random testing of students
involved in elective extra-curricular activities to be a positive and
acceptable tool to discourage drug use by students.

Logical reasons supported this conclusion. For many parents, knowledge that
their child was using drugs came too late and as a total surprise.

As a superintendent for 20 years, I met with many parents who had done
their best to be caring and strong. Yet, their children had become involved
with drugs. Some kept close tabs on their children and always knew their
friends. Some described themselves and their children as persons of faith.

In nearly every instance, parents either had no knowledge that their child
was involved with drugs or their knowledge of the problem came after the
child was heavily involved.

School and community leaders, parents, coaches, teachers and students
within Indiana came to the conclusion that we had to find stronger reasons
for kids to say "no" and we had to acknowledge that kids from every
economic level and background were an open target for persons selling
drugs. We learned that drugs chase kids and that it was impossible to
create a community where drugs were not present.

Parents expect schools to be safe havens for their children and to protect
them from drugs and other harmful issues. Traditionally, the courts have
been consistent in their view that schools had a responsibility termed "in
loco parentis." Meaning "in place of the parent," this term established a
level of responsibility and expectation that schools would take those
actions necessary to protect children from harmful influences.

As one response, schools established random drug testing programs for
students who elected to participate in activities and events beyond the
regular school day. The events included in the scope of random testing
included many activities in which physical harm could come to students.
Athletic participation, driving a car on school grounds and so on were
dependent upon participating in the random drug-testing program.

Students found to be using drugs through the testing programs were offered
assistance and their parents were notified of the problem. Parents have
been overwhelmingly appreciative of the approach. Often a finding of drug
use came early in the student's usage and the parent had hope that the
problem could be overcome.

After a host of court decisions upholding such policies, the Indiana Court
of Appeals found such practice unconstitutional. The Star agreed. I believe
they are both wrong. The court's decision could be overturned on appeal.

The Star lives differently than it writes. A call to the personnel
department of the newspaper revealed that, to be an employee there,
applicants must pass a drug screen. If, as the editorial suggested for
schools, "the best tactic is to create a school environment where every
student is known by name and teachers and administrators are trained in
recognizing the signs of drug use," why isn't a similar approach workable
in a news organization?

A decision to work at The Star is voluntary; just as is participation in
athletics and driving a car to school. Supervisors at the newspaper know
their employees well and can observe them on a daily basis.

Many Indiana communities see drug screens as the personnel department of
The Star sees them: a necessary step to create a safe and responsible
environment for important intellectual and physical work.

Schools have a responsibility for students far beyond that of the newspaper
for its employees. Random drug testing has proven to be an effective tool
in addressing that responsibility for many Indiana schools. And it has been
found to be constitutional by many courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court.