WAUKEGAN HIGH SCHOOL SAYS NO TO DRUG TESTS

In the wake of their decision not to pursue random drug testing of all
Waukegan High School students, Waukegan School District 60 officials said
Wednesday that they are satisfied to continue supporting drug-awareness
programs already in place.

A suggestion to explore the issue made last month by school board member
Patricia Foley was dropped Tuesday night after district officials said that
such a policy could raise constitutional questions.

"We just wanted to clear the air and make sure everybody knows that we have
no intention of pursuing such a policy," said Robert Taylor, president of
the District 60 Board of Education, at Tuesday's school board meeting.

Attempts to reach Foley for comment Wednesday were unsuccessful.

School district attorneys were directed last month to research existing
random-testing policies throughout U.S. schools and the legality of
instituting a policy at Waukegan High School, which could have included all
students, regardless of their extracurricular involvement.

School officials learned that the practice would fail to pass constitutional
muster.

The suggestion was prompted by concerns for safety and prevention, according
to school officials, not to address existing problems at the high school of
more than 3,000 students.

Supt. Robert Kurtz downplayed the suggestion Wednesday.

"There was never a policy being proposed," Kurtz said. "It was simply
suggested by one of our board members that we look into the issue. That's
it. And it was never really being considered for the entire student body. We
were just bringing clarity to the issue."

Kurtz said that for at least four years, Waukegan High School, 2325
Brookside Ave., has had drug-awareness programs in place that provide
information and assistance to all students.

"As far as I know, we have not experienced a high degree of drug use at the
high school. But I think the suggestion to look into the issue was based on
prevention," Kurtz said. "The programs in place have been working, and we
will continue to support them."

The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld the legality of random drug testing in
schools only for students who participate in voluntary extracurricular
activities such as athletic programs or students who drive to school.

Less than a year ago, the Miami-Dade County Public Schools in Florida
approved a random-testing policy for all students. But that policy was
revised earlier this year to give students the right to refuse the tests
after a backlash from parents and civil liberties groups.

"Random drug testing is an issue that should be raised in all school
districts," according to Reiner Diaz de la Portilla, a Miami-Dade school
board member who sponsored the controversial initiative. "Our children have
to be able to pass a drug test to get a job. Why shouldn't we require them
to be able to pass one while they are in school, which is one the most
important institutions in their lives? It seems like common sense to me."

In Illinois, limited random drug testing is the practice in some school
districts. Zion-Benton High School and Homewood-Flossmoor High School are
among those that randomly drug-test athletes. The Chicago Public Schools
have no drug-testing policy in place.

Checked-by: "Rolf Ernst"