HUMBOLDT HIGH SCHOOL BEGINS RANDOM DRUG TESTING

Humboldt High School began a random drug-testing program Thursday for
students involved in athletic activities.

Student athletes and parents were required to sign letters authorizing
drug testing in order to participate in athletic programs, such as
cheerleading and football. Ten students were randomly selected for the
first round of testing through a numbering process, Principal Arthur
Moss said.

Drug testing will occur every other month, with the next round
beginning in November, he said. School officials plan to expand the
program to include all students involved in extracurricular activities
once an organizational structure is in place to randomly test a larger
group of students.

Moss said the twofold reasoning behind this policy is to give students
an alternative to peer pressure and to ensure the public that athletes
are drug free.

"This is to change the perception that all our athletes are on drugs,"
Moss said.

Representatives from the Humboldt hospital administer the tests by
taking a urine sample, pulling the students out of class for about
five minutes, he said.

Steve Bayko, superintendent of Humboldt City Schools, said the testing
won't harm the students in any way. Refusal to participate in drug
testing would mean the student would not be allowed to take part in
extracurricular activities.

"There's no requirement that any student has the right to
extracurricular activities," Bayko said.

He pointed out another option for students placed in situations
involving drug use.

"This is really in the kids' best interest because it gives them the
opportunity to say no (to drugs)," Bayko said.

Ja'Lisa Smith, a Humboldt High student, signed the authorization form
for drug testing to be on the volleyball team.

"I think it is great because drugs could affect how (student athletes)
play," Smith said. "They should have been doing it a long time ago."

Humboldt's policy change has been in the works for about a
year.

Bayko said he believes most of the schools in the state already have
some type of drug-testing programs. Random drug testing, however, is
new to Tennessee schools.

In June, the state Legislature approved an amendment allowing random
drug testing for students in voluntary extracurricular activities in
school systems that choose to adopt the program.

Prior to the passage of that amendment, Tennessee law only allowed
students to be tested based upon reasonable suspicion, said Rich
Haglund, general counsel for the State Board of Education.

The Tennessee branch of the American Civil Liberties Union lobbied
against the bill, saying it infringes on children's rights, said Hedy
Weinberg, executive director of the ACLU of Tennessee.

"While we are concerned with students using drugs, we do not believe
that random drug testing of students is the solution," Weinberg said.
"In fact random drug testing in school has proven to be ineffective in
deterring drug use among young people."

Weinberg said there's a potential for inaccuracy in drug tests through
urine sampling. She said to eliminate tampering with the samples,
which could result in false positives, a witness would have to observe
the student at all times during testing.

"It's important to remember the random testing is not based on
probable cause or even reasonable suspicion and challenges what young
people learn in their civics classes," she said.

Weinberg encourages concerned parents to contact the ACLU.