SOME DISTRICTS ALREADY TEST FOR DRUGS

Parents in the south-central Kansas school district of Caldwell became
worried after several students were arrested for using and selling
marijuana in summer 1997.

Other factors contributed to their concerns -- a marijuana pipe was
found in the shop area, a student stole a filtering flask from a
science lab that he planned to sell for drug use and athletes allegedly
used marijuana during a tournament, said Robert Herbig, superintendent
of Caldwell Unified School District 360.

The parents approached school officials, who responded with a random
drug testing policy for athletes.

Silver Lake USD 372 may look to Caldwell as it studies random drug
testing policies in the state.

Caldwell USD 360 was the first district in Kansas to implement a random
drug testing policy when it did so in spring 1998. Bluestem USD 205
followed in fall 1998, and Columbus USD 493 is adding its own policy
this fall.

A Topeka lab draws from the pool of Caldwell students to randomly
select those who should be tested, and the school nurse then obtains a
sample and sends it back to Topeka for analysis. The lab, which tests
for alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, first notifies parents of
positive tests and then the school district.

In two years, Caldwell received roughly 10 positive tests -- two of
them for cocaine, Herbig said. The first time students are caught, they
are suspended from two competition dates, required to submit to weekly
tests for six weeks and also must attend a school-approved counseling
program before regaining their eligibility.

"It's a sad statement about where we are in society when we have to
deal with this," Herbig said. "This is our small part of trying to
address a serious issue in the district."

Bluestem USD 205 consulted with Caldwell as it created its own policy,
said Dale Harper, principal of Bluestem High School.

This fall, Bluestem will begin testing hair instead of urine samples.
Hair has an advantage because drugs can be detected in the hair for up
to 90 days, which means students must stay clean over the summer,
Harper said. Those tested are athletes, drivers education participants
and students who are volunteered by their parents.

"Obviously I think it's made a great deal of difference," Harper said.
"If there is a negative it's that kids tend to turn back more to
alcohol."

Columbus is the newest Kansas district to implement a policy.
Superintendent Ken Jones said the district began considering a
mandatory drug testing policy because of a strong suspicion of heavy
drug activity in the community, particularly methamphetamine use. Drug
dogs that searched lockers and cars detected drug residue. Three new
school board members made implementing such a policy a priority at a
goal-setting session last year.

The Columbus policy will kick off this fall after a year of study and
two committee forums.

It will work like this: Three to five students who participate in
athletic and non-athletic extracurricular activities are subject to
mandatory drug tests each week. A second pool of students who express
interest in attending school dances at the beginning of the year will
be tested every nine weeks.

Jones said many of the district's residents are subject to drug tests
at work and are supportive of the policy.

"It appears they've given us the green light," Jones said.