CATHOLIC HIGH TO TEST STUDENTS FOR DRUGS

Starting in August, Pensacola Catholic High School will require all
students to take a drug test before they can enroll.

Sister Kiersten Martin, principal since 1987, unveiled the new school
policy at a PTA meeting in the school's gymnasium Wednesday attended
by hundreds of parents.

"We want to give our kids a reason to say no other than their own
decision," Martin said. "This is not to catch them and penalize them.
We can work with (parents) to provide the strongest and most
meaningful deterrent to help your kids say no."

Martin said she does not suspect there is a drug problem at Catholic
High, but she cited statistics that illegal drug use is becoming more
common with all teens.

All students will be tested at the beginning of every school year.
During the course of the year, 25 percent of students will be tested
randomly.

Administrators also reserve the right to test students at any time if
they suspect drug abuse.

The screening, which uses a hair sample, will not test for alcohol,
nicotine or over-the-counter drugs. If students test positive for
prescription drugs, they will not be penalized if they have proof of a
prescription.

If a student tests positive for drug abuse, there will be no
disciplinary action by the school. Parents will be notified and the
student will have mandatory counseling and be required to submit to
ongoing drug tests.

If the student tests positive twice, he or she will be
expelled.

Accurate test

The cost of the test, which is about $40 per student, already has been
factored into the cost of tuition, Martin said. Next year's tuition
will increase by 2 percent. There currently are 590 students enrolled
at the parochial school.

The 1 1/2 inch-long hair samples will be gathered by administrators
and guidance counselors and processed through Psychemedics, a
drug-abuse detection company.

Psychemedics commonly performs employee drug testing for corporations,
but company spokesman Bill Dausey said about 300 schools across the
nation also participate - the nearest one in Mobile. He said testing
hair is more accurate than urine samples and can show how often, and
how much of a drug is consumed.

"You can't bleach it out. You can't dye it out. We're going to find
it," he said.

Parents and students both must sign a consent form for the testing,
which will be sent home Friday with students, or the student will not
be registered for school in August.

Mixed reception

Parents had a mixed reaction upon hearing the announcement.

"I'm uncomfortable with it," said Frank Rawley, father of nine and a
former Miami narcotics officer. "To just treat everyone like they're
guilty until proven innocent - it's sending the wrong message." But
Diane Wilkinson, who has a son who is a junior, was thrilled.

"It's helping parents," she said. "We need all the help we can get.
It's a worthwhile benefit."

Student Ellen Carlos, 18, won't be affected because she graduates this
year, but she said many of her friends would be upset by the news.

"It's a waste of money. Why don't we hire teachers or buy computers?"
she said. "Students are going to do drugs. I'm sorry, but it's a
reality. And it's not my school's job to tell me whether or not to be
on drugs. It's my parents' job.