RANDOM DRUG TESTING TOPIC OF SCHOOLS SUMMIT

Some school leaders in Sunnyside want to explore whether random
student drug testing would work in the district's high school.

They'll attend a summit later this month in Pasco aimed at giving
educators, community members and parents information about how
confidential, nonpunitive, treatment-based testing programs work
across the country.

Educational Service District 123 is putting on the event. Dr. Bertha
Madras, deputy director of demand reduction for the White House
Office of National Drug Control Policy, is scheduled to speak.

"(Random drug testing) is a program that has to come from grass
roots. It arises because school districts, community leaders or
parents feel they have a problem," Madras said by phone Friday.

The American Civil Liberties Union has questioned the legality and
benefit of random student drug testing. But the U.S. Supreme Court
has upheld the practice under certain conditions.

Madras said it's proven to be a deterrent in some schools and works
best with other anti-drug education. More than 1,000 schools across
the country have random testing programs, according to information
from her office.

The federal Department of Education has given out more than $36
million in grants for testing programs since 2003, the information
said. The grants require testing to be confidential, part of existing
comprehensive drug prevention programs and provide for referrals to
treatment or counseling.

Grant money can only be used to test athletes, students in
competitive extracurricular activities or those who have consented
and gotten permission from their parents.

The summit is free. Other experts on law and testing procedures will
be on hand with Madras.

Some educators from Sunnyside plan to attend. The school board there
approved a voluntary drug testing program about seven years ago.

It was discontinued last year but officials want to look into whether
to do random drug testing, said John Hughes, the district's director
of safe and effective schools.

Sunnyside's voluntary testing program worked in tandem with drug
prevention education, Hughes said. Students, mostly athletes and
activities leaders, signed up to be tested at random times throughout the year.

A benefit was that it gave students a handy excuse to turn down
offers of drugs or alcohol, Hughes said.

It also helped start conversations about drug abuse and prevention in
the school, he said.

Some of Sunnyside High's student leaders went to an anti-drug
workshop in Washington, D.C., last year. This year, the leadership
class is running a prevention program for fifth-graders in the district.

"We feel like they're taking in the stuff we're teaching them," said
Tristan Abbott, 16, a junior at Sunnyside High.

He said drug abuse isn't a major problem at Sunnyside High but does
exist there. He's not sure how students at the school would react to
random drug testing.

ESD 123 isn't advocating the practice, said Diane Shepherd, director
of the organization's prevention center.

The summit is "providing an opportunity for school districts and the
community to get first-hand factual information about drug testing," she said.