USING DRUGS DESTROYS KIDS' FUTURES

TO THE EDITOR:

The April 6 article about the State Senate rejecting House Bill 1289,
which called for drug and alcohol testing of students participating in
extra-curricular activities, contained some illogical quotes from our
state leaders. Thankfully, the bill is still alive after Sen. Brad
Henry lodged a motion to reconsider the vote later. I agree with Henry
that "Good kids do get mixed up in drugs sometimes."

I find the comment of Sen. Gene Stipe to be shortsighted and
illogical. He said, "The worst thing in the world is destroying the
future of our brightest and best kids." I believe it's the use of
drugs and alcohol, not the testing to discover the problems, that
destroys futures. Ask actor Carroll O'Conner. His son died from a drug
overdose. He advises, "Get between your kids and drugs any way you
can."

Sen. Owen Laughlin read results of a survey taken of juniors in
Woodward. It stated 53 percent said they had been in a car with a
driver who'd been drinking. (The national average is 39 percent.) The
students who had inhaled an intoxicant totaled 23 percent. We need to
find and help these DUI drivers with this dangerous habit. If we
don't, our streets and highways will be littered with the bodies of
our youth.

Sen. Paul Muegge's concerns for maintaining confidentiality of
positive test results are valid in order to preserve privacy rights.
Surely, procedures can provide appropriate safeguards. After all,
legal and medical information known by attorneys and doctors
respectively has been protected for years by client/patient
confidentiality. Hopefully, the restrictions imposed will allow
troubled students to get the help they need so desperately.

Carol Durham
City