RANDOM STUDENT DRUG TESTING ISN'T A GOOD IDEA

Last week, President Bush's drug czar descended upon Albany to try to
convince our educators to implement random student drug testing
("White House argues for school drug testing", Oct. 30.) New York
educators have much to consider before adopting this controversial
tactic.

The American Academy of Pediatrics' policy statement opposes
involuntary drug testing of adolescents at school or at home,
emphasizing that more research is needed on both the safety and
effectiveness before implementing testing programs.

Random student drug testing hurts relationships between students and
school officials. Do you remember the importance of the teacher or
coach with whom you really connected? Prevention research shows that
such relationships are essential components to creating a safe and
rewarding learning environment.

Random testing also deters students from extracurricular activities
- -- programs that provide structure and supervision after school.

Finally, random testing teaches students the wrong lessons about
their rights and the role of the government. Schools should promote
healthy behaviors, not inure them to government surveillance.

Terry Kaplan

New York City