NEGATIVE TESTS ARE A POSITIVE

According to the numbers, it's "school days" and not "school daze" at
Brazosport ISD.

The news received recently by Brazosport ISD trustees for the first
year of the district's drug-testing program were positive because
results of tests at Brazoswood and Brazosport high schools -- for
the overwhelming majority -- were found to be otherwise.

Out of about 2,000 Brazosport ISD high school students eligible to
be tested, only 15 specimens came back positive for drugs. Any
student who participates in extracurricular activities or drives to
school can be tested.

According to Brazosport ISD spokesman Stuart Dornburg, 814 tests
were administered in the previous school year, 579 (12 positive) at
Brazoswood and 235 (three positive) at Brazosport. That only 15
tests came back positive is a good sign for the district -- even
school board President Jay Luce said he was surprised the number was so low.

Those figures could indicate the program is achieving one of its
goals -- deterrence. The district, as well as concerned parents,
certainly should be pleased with the numbers so far. But still, we
must be mindful that 15 is just the number who were caught. Is this
a true indicator of how many students might be experimenting with
drugs and alcohol? As Luce says, talk in the community suggested the
figure would be higher.

And with the temptations out there, those numbers could spike at any
time. Vigilance by the schools, however, goes only so far. The best
deterrent to drug abuse by youth always will be involved parenting.