TRUSTEES ENDORSE DRUG TESTING

Carmel Unified School District trustees moved a step closer Monday
to a planned volunteer drug testing program for students in grades
as low as eighth.

The unanimous endorsement of the program comes four months after
trustees heard a presentation from a high school in San Clemente
that has used the same program for the past four years.

The comprehensive drug prevention program includes education,
counseling and parental involvement through the district.

The mother of two Carmel High School students voiced opposition to the plan.

"I'm horrified by this entire proposal. It's treating our children
as if they are criminals," said Ruth Smith of Carmel, whose two
sons, Nat, 18 and Dusty, 14, attend Carmel High School. "If you
treat students as if they are criminals then they will act as if
they are criminals. I see it as a completely misguided attempt to
coddle them and not teach them how to be responsible citizens."

The volunteer drug testing plan is the administration's approach in
trying to stem what has been rumored for years as a drug use problem
among students at Carmel High School.

Administrators responding to Smith's criticism said the key to the
proposal is that it is voluntarily for students and parents.

"The only thing this policy forces is the conversation. It takes
both the students and the parents," said Superintendent Marvin
Biasotti. "The target is for those students who are on the bubble.
They're trying to figure out what to do. They are being approached
by peers... its purpose is to give them a few more tools."

Paul Behan, the district's coordinator of technology and special
projects, began researching the drug program early last year. Now,
with the approval of the board, he is set to present a developed
policy regarding the drug testing program sometime in early March.

"At the moment it's full speed ahead," Behan said. "Right now it
looks like at least the 8th grade through 12th. Maybe it'll be 7th
through 12th."

The testing program would cost from $8,000 to $10,000 for one school
year and would begin next fall. The district is looking at picking
up the entire cost for about 1,200 students in three schools.

San Clemente High School representatives who spoke to the board last
September said the program has been successful with 60 percent of
the 3,200 students involved.

With the implementation of the program, students and parents will be
given forms next fall that both will have sign if the student is to
participate.

Of the students who sign up, a quarter will be chosen at random to
be given urine tests throughout the school year when a drug-testing
company comes through the district. Results will be sent to parents,
notifying them whether their child tested positive or negative for
drugs or alcohol. Behan said the cost per test would be between $30 and $40.

"If 1,000 sign up then one quarter would be tested," said Behan. "It
would still fall under $10,000 to do the tests."

The program matches parents and students with professionals to
determine whether the use is experimental, abusive or addictive.
Students who are repeat offenders are expelled.

The policy's first-time offenders are suspended for five days, given
a citation from the Sheriff's Office and sent to the Clint Eastwood
Youth Program at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula.

Now that the program is approved in Carmel, parents who signed up
will be responsible for disciplining their children. Their test
results won't be reviewed by administrators.