DRUG TESTING PLAN'S NOT POPULAR, IT'S NECESSARY

Guest Column: I would like to commend Mr. Bud Hendershot and Mr. Don
Terrill for expressing their views on drug testing in our school system and
for reminding me of individual rights guaranteed by the Constitution.

The St. Johns County school district's major responsibility is the
education of children. We also have a significant responsibility to our
employees and students to protect their constitutional rights, both as
individuals and as groups. Preserving individual rights and protecting the
public's right to health, safety and welfare within the system is a
delicate balancing act. The school system must provide a safe and healthy
environment in which to work and learn. I take this responsibility very
seriously.

I agree that after the public fully researches an elected representative's
position and finds that position does not represent the majority, the
official should be voted out of office. Our nation, our form of government,
our esteemed and internationally admired way of life cannot survive unless
we have responsible, sincere and informed citizens. We must elect officials
who are informed, that care, and have earned our respect and trust.

Now, please allow me to explain my position on drug testing, why I am
convinced that we have a problem and why I'm concerned about drug use.

Data on juvenile crimes tell us that by the time an average teen reaches
the age of 17, 68 percent can buy marijuana within a day, 62 percent have
friends who use marijuana, 58 percent have been solicited and 42 percent
find marijuana easier to buy than beer. Youth drug use has been linked to
anti-social behavior and crime. Marijuana use has been associated with a
wide range of dangerous behaviors among the young. Eleven percent of our
nation's teen- agers have been reported driving at least once within two
hours of using illegal drugs in the past year. Youth, ages 12-17, who
smoked marijuana within the past year were more than twice as likely to cut
class, steal, physically attack people or destroy property than those who
did not smoke marijuana.

The Department of Children and Families report that over 40 percent of high
school seniors surveyed indicated that they use alcohol on a regular basis.

In America's colleges, alcohol abuse by students was a factor in 40 percent
of academic problems, 28 percent of dropouts and 80 percent of vandalism.
Ninety five percent of crime and 90 percent of all reported rapes on
college campuses are alcohol related. On Florida highways in 1997, 24,673
crashes resulted either from alcohol or drugs or a combination of the two.

As you can see, the data clearly indicate that Florida has a significant
drug problem.

The St. Johns County school district is not an exception. According to
State Juvenile data, we are second in the state in the number of juveniles
arrested for drug misdemeanors. We are trying to alleviate this problem
through education, prevention, intervention, treatment and random drug
testing. The tests are done at no cost to the local taxpayer.

Since the Oct. 15 article, there have been seven incidents of student
possession of drugs or drug paraphernalia on our school campuses. One adult
employee tested positive for drug use. By interpolating the data (one out
of every 60 students will test positive for drug use) from our drug testing
program, one would conclude that at least 40 students in each of our two
high schools are currently using illegal drugs. It should be noted that the
shooting in Colorado, Mississippi and Kentucky involved only two students.
Preliminary reports indicated there were at least three commonalties with
regard to these shootings: drug usage, lack of parental involvement and not
holding young people accountable for their actions.

I believe current incidents of drug possession on campus, data from our
drug testing program and information provided by students clearly indicate
that many more than 40 students at each of our high schools are involved in
illegal drug use.

In summary, I support the drug testing policy because it was requested and
written by parents, students, teachers and coaches. I also believe ``if you
can't measure it you can't manage it.'' However, I do take this position
with some reservation as I don't want drug testing to evolve into ``big
brotherism'' by government.

Drug testing, identification badges and school uniforms are tools we can
use to provide for a safer learning environment. Is preventing such
incidents that occurred in Colorado, Kentucky or Mississippi worth the
inconvenience of random drug testing? I think so!

Please join with us in finding a solution to the problem of illegal use and
abuse of alcohol and drugs.