STUDENTS GIVE ASSESSMENTS OF SCHOOL DRUG PROBLEM

How bad the drug problem is at local schools might depend on who you
ask.

Four randomly selected students at Warsaw Community High School were
interviewed Sept. 16 about their thoughts on drug use and testing.

"I'm from Wisconsin, a worse town than this. Compared to that, there's
not really a problem," said senior Jack Donohue, 18.

WCHS's random drug testing program includes students who drive to
school, are in a vocational program or are athletes. Donohue drives to
school, so his name could be pulled for drug testing, but it hasn't as
of Sept. 16.

Donohue said the random drug testing doesn't bother him, except for
the invasion of privacy.

"I do have friends who do drugs, but I don't think it (drug testing)
would prevent them (from using). They'd just be afraid to go to
school," Donohue said.

He said of his friends who do partake in drugs, the random drug
testing doesn't affect their choice to do them.

"For some (students) it may, but in the bigger scheme of things, I
don't think it does," Donohue said.

Senior Michael Davila, 17, drives to school and thinks there is a drug
problem at the school.

"I think there is, yes, because of peer pressure, and you have older
brothers who say you got to do this and get people to get into that
stuff," Davila said.

Like Donohue, Davila said marijuana is probably the most used drug by
students at the high school.

"I've heard a lot of stories about that," Davila said.

"I think students just do drugs regardless," Davila said. "I think
athletes do drugs, too. They just get away with it. I know some people
on the team and word gets around."

"I can honestly say I think there are a couple of kids who got on the
wrong path," said sophomore Tanner Dickerhoff, 16.

He is on the football and baseball teams, and drives to
school.

Dickerhoff said he's not sure why students choose to take drugs, but
said it was probably due to peer pressure.

"But, overall, I don't think Warsaw is that bad," Dickerhoff said. "A
lot of it you hear about is alcohol because it's the easiest to get a
hold of. After that, maybe pot, but alcohol seems the biggest issue."

A driver and member of the dance team, senior Brittany Byrer, 17, sees
a problem with drugs and alcohol at the school.

"I think that there is," she said. "I'm not really sure why, but there
really seems to be a problem with kids around my age."

Byrer has never been a part of the random drug testing, but she's
willing.

"It's kind of sad that I've never been because I want to be. Everyone
says it's scary. They say everyone who does it is really mean and
treats you like you're a bad person. I want to see if that's true,"
she said.

While Byrer has made the decision not to use drugs, she said the
random drug testing won't stop students from doing drugs.

"I think they're going to do it if they're going to do it," she
said.

After some students she knows have taken the drug test, Byrer said
they "flipped out" because they knew they were going to fail the test
and didn't want to get caught.

"I just seeing it bring me down rather than doing anything positive
for me," Byrer said of why she doesn't do drugs. "It also scares me.
I'm not sure what it would do to me. I see kids here at school with
problems and I don't want to be like that."

Donohue, Davila, Dickerhoff and Byrer all thought the random drug
testing could be expanded to include all high school students.

Donohue said obviously there's a money factor to consider, but he
doesn't believe it's a school's place to do the random drug testing.
It's the parents' responsibility.

"They can make parents more aware of it, but I don't think it's the
school's responsibility," said Donohue.

Davila was selected for a drug test once each year his freshman
through junior years.

"It was nerve wracking, even though I don't do drugs. Just nerve
wracking. I think just because they pressure me to go out (to the
mobile lab) and do it," Davila said.

Limiting the random drug testing to athletes, drivers and vocational
students isn't enough, he said.

"I don't think it's fair because some students get away with it that
way," Davila said. "They won't drive or do sports because they want to
do drugs."

However, he said he didn't think there was a solution to keeping
students off drugs.

"I don't think there really is," he said.

Dickerhoff was selected for drug testing once last year late
spring.

"The process was fine. They just brought us in, we did the test one by
one, and we were out quick and easy," Dickerhoff said.

"For what I thought last year, the kids who I thought were doing drugs
weren't into sports or driving so they weren't affected. Those in
sports or drivers, it's a deterrent," he said.

Dickerhoff said he thought the drug testing pool should be
expanded.

"Why just do the athletes and drivers?" he said. "The average student
shouldn't have anything to be afraid of. If a person (tests positive),
they can get the right help."

"I think it's fine the way it is," said Byrer of the random drug
testing. "Doing all the students is fine, too. We don't want kids
driving to school on drugs."

But like her schoolmates, Byrer said she doesn't know of any solution
to keep kids off drugs.

"I hope that some day someone finds a solution, but right now, they're
going to do it if they want to do it," she said.Fourth in a series.

How bad the drug problem is at local schools might depend on who you
ask.

Four randomly selected students at Warsaw Community High School were
interviewed Sept. 16 about their thoughts on drug use and testing.

"I'm from Wisconsin, a worse town than this. Compared to that, there's
not really a problem," said senior Jack Donohue, 18.

WCHS's random drug testing program includes students who drive to
school, are in a vocational program or are athletes. Donohue drives to
school, so his name could be pulled for drug testing, but it hasn't as
of Sept. 16.

Donohue said the random drug testing doesn't bother him, except for
the invasion of privacy.

"I do have friends who do drugs, but I don't think it (drug testing)
would prevent them (from using). They'd just be afraid to go to
school," Donohue said.

He said of his friends who do partake in drugs, the random drug
testing doesn't affect their choice to do them.

"For some (students) it may, but in the bigger scheme of things, I
don't think it does," Donohue said.

Senior Michael Davila, 17, drives to school and thinks there is a drug
problem at the school.

"I think there is, yes, because of peer pressure, and you have older
brothers who say you got to do this and get people to get into that
stuff," Davila said.

Like Donohue, Davila said marijuana is probably the most used drug by
students at the high school.

"I've heard a lot of stories about that," Davila said.

"I think students just do drugs regardless," Davila said. "I think
athletes do drugs, too. They just get away with it. I know some people
on the team and word gets around."

"I can honestly say I think there are a couple of kids who got on the
wrong path," said sophomore Tanner Dickerhoff, 16.

He is on the football and baseball teams, and drives to
school.

Dickerhoff said he's not sure why students choose to take drugs, but
said it was probably due to peer pressure.

"But, overall, I don't think Warsaw is that bad," Dickerhoff said. "A
lot of it you hear about is alcohol because it's the easiest to get a
hold of. After that, maybe pot, but alcohol seems the biggest issue."

A driver and member of the dance team, senior Brittany Byrer, 17, sees
a problem with drugs and alcohol at the school.

"I think that there is," she said. "I'm not really sure why, but there
really seems to be a problem with kids around my age."

Byrer has never been a part of the random drug testing, but she's
willing.

"It's kind of sad that I've never been because I want to be. Everyone
says it's scary. They say everyone who does it is really mean and
treats you like you're a bad person. I want to see if that's true,"
she said.

While Byrer has made the decision not to use drugs, she said the
random drug testing won't stop students from doing drugs.

"I think they're going to do it if they're going to do it," she
said.

After some students she knows have taken the drug test, Byrer said
they "flipped out" because they knew they were going to fail the test
and didn't want to get caught.

"I just seeing it bring me down rather than doing anything positive
for me," Byrer said of why she doesn't do drugs. "It also scares me.
I'm not sure what it would do to me. I see kids here at school with
problems and I don't want to be like that."

Donohue, Davila, Dickerhoff and Byrer all thought the random drug
testing could be expanded to include all high school students.

Donohue said obviously there's a money factor to consider, but he
doesn't believe it's a school's place to do the random drug testing.
It's the parents' responsibility.

"They can make parents more aware of it, but I don't think it's the
school's responsibility," said Donohue.

Davila was selected for a drug test once each year his freshman
through junior years.

"It was nerve wracking, even though I don't do drugs. Just nerve
wracking. I think just because they pressure me to go out (to the
mobile lab) and do it," Davila said.

Limiting the random drug testing to athletes, drivers and vocational
students isn't enough, he said.

"I don't think it's fair because some students get away with it that
way," Davila said. "They won't drive or do sports because they want to
do drugs."

However, he said he didn't think there was a solution to keeping
students off drugs.

"I don't think there really is," he said.

Dickerhoff was selected for drug testing once last year late
spring.

"The process was fine. They just brought us in, we did the test one by
one, and we were out quick and easy," Dickerhoff said.

"For what I thought last year, the kids who I thought were doing drugs
weren't into sports or driving so they weren't affected. Those in
sports or drivers, it's a deterrent," he said.

Dickerhoff said he thought the drug testing pool should be
expanded.

"Why just do the athletes and drivers?" he said. "The average student
shouldn't have anything to be afraid of. If a person (tests positive),
they can get the right help."

"I think it's fine the way it is," said Byrer of the random drug
testing. "Doing all the students is fine, too. We don't want kids
driving to school on drugs."

But like her schoolmates, Byrer said she doesn't know of any solution
to keep kids off drugs.

"I hope that some day someone finds a solution, but right now, they're
going to do it if they want to do it," she said.