LOCAL DISTRICTS MAY BE HIT BY DRUG TEST RULING

Schools Might Have To Suspend Policies.

When a student involved in sports or extracurricular activities at Munster
High School violates a signed pledge by failing a random drug test for the
third time, the school has a simple name for the consequences.

"We call it the death penalty," said Munster High head football coach Leroy
Marsh. "It means the student can't participate in sports or another
activity for the rest of their high school career."

That policy may change if Monday's ruling by the Indiana Court of Appeals
holds. Schools in the region have long debated how to handle substance
abuse problems, and a number of them have instituted random drug testing
policies.

Barring an appeal, Monday's ruling might force local schools to suspend
these policies.

At Munster High School, Assistant Principal Steve Tripenfeldas said the
school tests an average of seven students a week and about one in six
students each year.

Marsh said the policy "makes it simple for kids to know what to expect." He
also said only a negligible number of students fail the test, and the
policy's goal is to deter as many students as possible from abusing drugs.

Danny Anderson, a senior on the Munster High football team who has not been
tested, said the policy "keeps kids out of trouble."

"I do know students who don't like random testing or think it's not fair,"
he said. "My mom also thinks it's unfair. But I signed the pledge. It's
nothing to worry about."

Anderson's teammate, senior Alex Topete, said he thinks if students at one
school have been tested, those at other schools should be, as well.

"It's only fair," said Topete, who has been tested.

He added that the policy "has definitely kept a few people away from
activities."

In Lake Central Schools, the School Board decided this summer to begin a
random drug testing policy in October that would apply to students
interested in sports, extracurricular activities or driving to school.

Janet Emerick, superintendent of Lake Central Schools, said the policy is
considered "nonpunitive."

"For example, they wouldn't be able to drive to school again until
retested," she said.

At Chesterton High School, Assistant Principal Jim Goetz said the school
just completed its first year with a random drug test policy.

"There was a fear that we would have kids who wouldn't participate in
activities, not because they are drug users, but because they would decline
to take the test," he said. "But we found that, overall, student
participation went up."

Goetz acknowledged that "there has been a lot of debate on the subject. At
this point, we plan on continuing this policy. If we're told we can't,
we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

Some districts would not be affected by the ruling because they've opted
not to test students randomly for drugs.

"We've talked about it periodically, but we have not felt compelled to
pursue that route," said Jerry Watkins, director of secondary curriculum
and instruction with the Hammond Schools. "For every individual who
advocates random drug testing, there are those who feel it is an invasion
of privacy and civil rights. We just let schools and athletic directors
deal with it on an as-needed basis."

John Hutton, assistant principal at Valparaiso High School, which also does
not conduct random drug testing, wondered why "good kids that don't do
anything wrong should be subjected to it."

"We think there are better ways to deal with this issue than having kids
pee in a bottle," he said.