EDUCATORS URGE ACTION ON DRUG USE

Proponents Of A School Drug-testing Law Argue For A Uniform Policy.

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Jenks school superintendent urged lawmakers Wednesday
to take drastic action to curb drug use in public schools.

Superintendent Kirby Lehman was one of three educators who addressed a
joint legislative task force considering drug testing in schools.

A bill in the last session of the Legislature that would have set
guidelines and authorized drug testing of all students engaged in
extracurricular activities failed to pass. The proposal will be revisited
when the Legislature reconvenes in February.

A number of school districts already have drug-testing programs. Proponents
of a state law on drug tests in public schools argue there should be a
uniform policy and standards for schools.

Jenks already tests athletes for drug use; Blanchard tests athletes and
cheerleaders; Fairview recently initiated a drug-testing program.

Superintendents from those districts addressed the legislative group.

All three urged lawmakers not to adopt a "one-size-fits-all" program,
saying there should be some flexibility, and individual school districts
and communities should be free to make their own decisions.

Lehman said drugs are a societal problem, not just a school problem.

And he said society isn't doing enough to address the problem.

"I'm ashamed of society because of it," he said.

One of the reasons for drug use by young people is that there aren't enough
deterrents, he said.

"I think, sometimes, young people need to be scared into doing the right
thing," Lehman said. "As a society, we're not scaring them enough."

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that testing a school's entire student
body is unconstitutional. But Lehman said he would like to see Oklahoma
take the lead nationally and pass legislation authorizing statewide random
drug testing in schools.

"I would like the authority to randomly test every student, not just in
high school, but in the school system," he said.

He urged legislators to take a chance and pass "radical" legislation, even
if it should result in lawsuits being filed.

"If parents sue and we lose in the Supreme Court, what have we lost?" he
asked.

Lehman said drugs are rampant in Oklahoma.

Fairview Superintendent Rocky Burchfield confirmed that drugs in school
aren't just a problem in large city schools.

He said three of 60 eighth-grade students tested in the small northwestern
Oklahoma community had used cocaine.

Blanchard Superintendent J.D. Motes said all athletes and cheerleaders are
given drug tests, with the parents footing the bill for the initial $11
test. Athletes and cheerleaders may be tested randomly after the first test.