DRUG POLICY SUPPORTERS FILL LISD GYM

LISD's public forum Thursday night left no doubt how the majority of the
crowd felt about the school district's new drug policy. After listening to
several speakers during the forum, and considering the appeal of a parent
opposed to the policy, the board voted unanimously to uphold the district's
mandatory drug testing policy.

The regular board meeting was held in the school gymnasium because of the
anticipation of a large turnout. The agenda for the meeting called for the
board to hear the appeal of Larry Tannahill, a parent who has sued LISD over
the mandatory drug testing policy. Tannahill is being represented by the
American Civil Liberties Union.

The drug testing policy calls for all Junior High students, High School
students, staff, and faculty to submit to random drug testing. Parents were
asked to sign a consent form for their children to be tested. Tannahill
refused to sign for his 12 year old son. Under the policy a refusal to test
is seen as a positive drug test, which leads to ISS punishment, counseling,
and removal from extra-curricular activities.

The ACLU has sued the school district over what they believe is a violation
of the search and seizure protection provided in the 4th amendment of the
Constitution. During the public forum, five Lockney residents spoke in
favor of the policy. Following their presentation Tannahill's attorney,
Jeffrey Conner, made his appeal.

Several standing ovations interrupted speakers voicing their support of the
school's mandatory drug testing.

The gymnasium seats 700 and was filled to capacity. Most of the crowd were
attired in matching white T-shirts which read, "Lockney ISD Drug Policy--We
asked For It--You Delivered It--We Appreciate It."

Speaking in support of the policy were: Lexi Jones, Danny Lambert, Alicia
Bice, Lisa Mosley and Bobby Hall.

Jones spoke on behalf of the Lockney High School Student Council. While
addressing the school board the School Council stood behind Jones as a show
of support.

"The overall consensus of the student body is in complete agreement with the
drug policy," said Jones. "We feel that the right as students to attend a
drug-free and safe school has been ignored by those choosing not to support
the drug policy."

Jones also said the Student Council felt that "non-members" of the community
had "undermined the authority of our school board members, and have not
received all the facts. "The enactment of this policy has been contemplated
for many years, and we place our complete and total trust in the hands of
the school board members," said Jones.

Danny Lambert spoke to the board and reminded everyone of a town hall
meeting three years ago in which parents had encouraged LISD to implement a
drug testing policy.

"The overwhelming majority of the citizens support you," said Lambert.
"Tannahill has said the community is divided on the issue. If anything the
action has brought us together--not divided us."

To prove his point Lambert asked those in attendance to stand if they
approved of the drug testing policy. Only a few of those in attendance
remained seated.

Alicia Bice, a math teacher at Lockney High School addressed the school
board. As she spoke the faculty in attendance stood as one in a show of
support.

Bice also reminded the board that the school and community had asked for a
drug policy. "We did not rush into this because we wanted a policy that
would be most beneficial to all students--not just those in extra curricular
activities," said Bice.

"As we go through metal detectors in airports, we do not feel it takes away
our rights to bear arms or subjects us to unreasonable search and seizure.
The airport policies were implemented because the world recognized the need
for these precautions."

Bice told the board the faculty experiences first hand the disruption which
is brought into the classroom from students on drugs. She told of one
student who has to ask what book is needed when he reports to class. "He
truly did not know he was in Algebra," said Bice. "One time he was asked
about his Reading class. He didn't know he was taking a reading class, yet
he went there every day."

Bice also said the policy was not causing a division in school. "We (the
faculty) have actually seen more of a united spirit among the students."

Bice said the faculty saw the policy as a positive way to help students--not
punish them. "We fully support this policy because we love these kids, we
care about their lives, and we have already seen positive results."

Lisa Mosley delivered what was perhaps the most emotional speech of the
night. She spoke of the effects of drug use within families and the
classroom.

"I have had to call on Mr. Poole (the principal of Lockney High), for help
in dealing with a student returning from lunch so stoned that he did not
have a clue where he even was. If anyone believes that what the students do
outside the schoolhouse doors only affects them as individuals, you are so
wrong."

Mosley reminded the crowd of the drug raids in Lockney two years ago in
which 11 residents were arrested and convicted of 14 counts of varying drug
charges. "If you were to compare that to a city the size of Lubbock rounding
up a similar number of drug dealers you would be looking at 878 people being
arrested in one day."

Mosley believed the drug policy was already successful. "As I walked into
the school one morning, I heard one student talking to another. The student
said, 'Don't go do that with her. You know that you'll have to go to ISS and
get counseling for testing positive and she's not worth it."

Mosley also told the crowd, "The ACLU will not show up if one of our
children dies or is threatened by someone using illegal drugs. They won't be
here to pick up the pieces of a young person suffering from a serious
addiction...They won't be here long after what Mr. Tannahill has stirred up
has been finally laid to rest. They, instead will travel on to bigger
pastures under the misguided thought that they, and only they, can interpret
our constitution as the founding fathers meant it to be."

Bobby Hall spoke to the board and outlined statistics from the National
Institute of Health showing the rampant and rapid rise of drug use among
American students, and the link of drug use with the growing increase in
crime.

"It is apparent that mandatory drug testing was not a knee jerk, seat of the
pants decision by the LISD School Board. Rather is was a carefully planned,
carefully crafted, response to the concerns of this community...

"Beginning with community-wide discussions in 1988-89, it has taken more
than a decade to arrive at this policy...

"I wish the drug policy could be voluntary, but it has been clearly
demonstrated that a voluntary policy is the equivalent of no policy at all."

Hall closed his remarks by answering critics who have said the school should
be ashamed to have such a policy. "Given the gravity of challenges facing
our children, I submit to you that one should be ashamed NOT to have such a
policy, because such a failure would suggest that Lockney does not care
about its youth. If the policy helps just one child, it will have been an
overwhelming success."

The public forum closed with Tannahill's attorney, Jeff Conner, speaking on
Tannahill's behalf.

Conner said he had grave concerns about the affect the policy had on the
kids and the legal implications.

"When we drug test children we don't suspect it tells kids bad things about
themselves and the government," said Conner. Conner said the policy relays
the impression of "We don't trust you...and we assume you are guilty until
proven innocent. It tells kids they don't have privacy rights."

Conner cited the 1989 ruling in the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals--Brooks vs.
East Chambers Consolidated School District. This case involved drug testing
of children involved in extracurricular activities, and was ruled
unconstitutional.

Conner told the board the drug testing was a violation of the 4th amendment
which protects Americans from unreasonable search and seizure.

After Conner finished speaking the LISD Trustees voted unanimously to
"affirm Mr. Lusk's decision to uphold the district's drug testing policy for
this student."

During a break Conner was asked if he agreed with the argument that the use
of metal detectors in schools was similar to the "search and seizure" of
drug testing, Conner replied that it was not "considered search and seizure
under the 4th amendment."

LISD Attorney Donald Henslee rebutted Conner's opinion and said, "The 5th
Circuit case he is citing is 11 years old. The "Vernonia" case we are basing
our argument on has gone through the Supreme Court. It involved drug testing
of athletes and extracurricular and was upheld. We believe the language of
that case will enable us to have a policy such as this."

The ACLU lawsuit will first be tried in the Lubbock District Court. It will
be appealed in the 5th Circuit Federal Court in New Orleans and ultimately
in the U.S. Supreme Court.

"It appears both sides are willing to pursue their appeals to the Supreme
Court," said Henslee.

LISD President Bernie Ford later issued a statement thanking the community
for their "support of the board in this policy effort." "We will continue to
do the right thing where the health and safety of our students is
concerned."