SV DRUG TESTING PLAN DRAWS CONCERN

Students ask questions at board's forum

Issues of privacy and equal treatment were voiced Thursday in the
auditorium of the Susquehanna Valley High School Thursday, where
officials held a forum on mandatory drug testing for student athletes.

"They don't even know if there is any reason to test," said sophomore
Lucas Coene. "I don't understand why they don't test the whole team -
with no names - and see if anyone is actually using drugs."

About 50 students showed up for the forum, sometimes shooting
questions at Timothy O'Hearn, the district's health and wellness
director, in angry and frustrated voices. The group as a whole was
inquisitive and mature about the policy that the district hasn't yet
voted on. They just wanted answers on how the policy would be put in
place - fairly.

The cost of randomly testing athletes every two weeks will run from
$8,000 to $10,000 and will be paid for through grant money the first
year.

Brian Murray, a sophomore who agreed with Coene, said "$10,000 is a
waste of taxpayer money."

The Susquehanna Valley Central School District would be the first in
the area to test athletes if the board of education approves a testing
policy.

The board will hold another public forum at 7 p.m. Feb. 15 in the high
school auditorium, when it will announce the proposed policy. The
board expects to vote in March.

High school athletes are the only students the district can legally
test, because they are required to sign contracts at the beginning of
the school year to stay drug-free throughout the year.

But what if a student tests for chemicals in his body following time
spent out of school, like a weekend or summer vacation? The student is
off the team, answered O' Hearn. But, he added, the door is always
open.

A positive test means the student must go for counseling and could
resume playing with the approval of the counselor.

Kelley Gunther, a senior, said she liked the idea of testing
athletes.

"It (the test) shouldn't be a problem if you're not doing drugs,"
Gunther said. And as far as the weekend excuse goes, Gunther said
drugs are illegal anytime you take them.