DRUG TEST MARKS OFF COLLINSVILLE ATHLETES

Its Effectiveness Is Disputed By Some

Collinsville High School's athletes became the exception in the
metro-east last week when school leaders decided to randomly test for drugs.

Most local high schools don't test, primarily because the
effectiveness of using tests to curb student drug use is questioned.

But Collinsville High's new principal, Eric Flohr, advocates testing
after his experiences at his previous high school, Dwight Township,
which tested students in extracurricular activities for about 18
months. Dwight's program did not catch any students, but it
did work as a deterrent.

"It gave (the students) a way to say 'no' and save face," he said.

That was a primary motive for the Collinsville program, according to
athletic director Bob Hollingshead. He cited peer pressure as a
major issue in students using drugs.

Some Collinsville school board members said they would eventually
want to expand tests to all students in extracurricular activities.
Only board member Gary Kusmierczak voted against it, saying he felt
it was "excessive and intrusive."

In 2002, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that public schools could test
students who participate in extracurricular activities. Schools may
not test every student who attends school, however, because the
students have the constitutional right not to incriminate themselves
and they are required by law to attend school.

Nick Rayburn, a senior football player at Collinsville High, said he
didn't think drugs were much of a problem for Collinsville athletes.
"No one cares (about testing) because no one does it, at least on
our team," he said.

Does testing work? According to a 2000 study by the National
Institute on Drug Abuse, students were four times less likely to use
drugs if they were subject to random testing. But a 2003 study by
the University of Michigan found no significant difference, and that
study has been cited by the American Civil Liberties Union in its
opposition to what it calls an ineffective, legally risky method
that may drive students away from extracurricular activities.

Yudelkis Russell, a junior and color guard member at O'Fallon
Township High School, disagrees that tests would deter students from
extracurriculars.

"Everyone knows the consequences," she said. "This school is a
really good school, they're really good about no drugs.... (Users)
will do it anyway, testing isn't going to stop it."

Andrea Cover, a sophomore and also a color guard member in O'Fallon,
said it would deter participation.

"It wouldn't bother me because I'd never (use drugs)," she said. "In
my group of friends, there's only one or two who've ever done drugs
or gotten really drunk... The only thing it would do is no one would
go into extracurriculars."

Most metro-east superintendents said they considered random drug
testing to be a tactic of last resort, preferring to focus on
preventive anti-drug campaigns. They don't rule it out as a possibility.

"I'm not going to sit here and say we're different than any other
school in the state or the country as far as dealing with students
and drugs," said Edwardsville Superintendent Ed Hightower. "But we
use a lot of preventive measures, and we have a strong code of
conduct where the students know clearly what the ramifications of
their decisions will be."

In Belleville, new Superintendent Greg Moats said there is no
current drug testing program, but the students do sign a code of
conduct. There is no current discussion of drug testing, he said.

Hightower said he believes schools should concentrate their efforts
on programs that will help all the students, not just those in
extracurricular activities. He pointed out that two or three
students caught using drugs is small compared to the 1,500 students
who are subject to the code of conduct -- a second disciplinary code
to which athletes and students in extracurricular activities are subject.

"With that involvement, they appreciate the responsibility that goes
into it," Hightower said.

Granite City athletic director Jim Greenwald said there is "a
difference between a presence and a problem" when it comes to drugs.

"I'd be the biggest fool in the world if I said out of a school of
2,300 kids there's no presence of (alcohol or illegal drugs),"
Greenwald said. "But I believe it's minimal in terms of our
athletes. I certainly don't know of every situation that has taken
place.... But they know (the consequences), and it's no fun
when you're sitting out for half the season or abolished for good."

Most school leaders said drug testing would be something to consider
if the drug problem appeared to get worse. While Collinsville had
eight violations of its code of conduct last year, Edwardsville
averages two or three, and Granite City reported none since 2004.

Greenwald said when one district begins a program like random drug
testing, all the others tend to take a second look at it, and he'll
be interested to see what Granite City's board thinks.

O'Fallon High School briefly considered random drug testing that
would have affected up to 75 percent of students participating in
extracurriculars. But after a student survey revealed that the drug
of choice was alcohol -- one-third of seniors admitted drinking --
school leaders dumped the proposal in favor of reinforcing
anti-alcohol measures.

Kylie Scimio, a sophomore cheerleader at O'Fallon, said she didn't
think testing would stop drug use.

"I'm not against it, because it's important to keep drugs out of
extracurriculars," she said. "But I think the ones who would (use)
will start right after the testing ended."

In Highland, a student survey sponsored by the state of Illinois has
shown that alcohol is a much more serious problem than drugs --
though this year's results are not in yet.

"If we have data that indicates that we've got problems we're not
aware of, we have to look at our policies," said Highland
Superintendent Marvin Warner.

But Warner said they prefer to be "more proactive than punitive,"
beginning DARE at sixth grade and other programs beginning at the
elementary level.

"I think in certain situations (drug testing) may be something
that's necessary, but I think it's something you do after you've
exhausted other avenues to address the problem," Warner said. "It's
toward the bottom of the list."