STUDENT DRUG USE DIPS BELOW 1 PERCENT

The numbers are out, and the third year of Seneca Valley School District's
mandatory drug-testing program is yielding the kind of results district
officials were hoping to see.

Testing is limited to students who participate in athletic programs,
extracurricular activities or drive to school.

During the 2002-03 school year, the first for testing, 27 positive results
were found in 1,802 students, which works out to about 1.5 percent failing
the test.

In the 2003-04 school year, 2,222 student were tested and 36 failed,
marking a slight rise from the first year as 1.6 percent failed the test.

But this school year, the number of students who have failed the test has
dipped below 1 percent. As of April 22, there have been 2,482 students
tested, with 23 showing they had used drugs.

"We think this has been a tremendous success and a great deterrent," public
relations coordinator Linda Andreassi said.

"We view the students who drive to school and the ones who participate in
athletics and extracurricular activities as having a luxury. Because of
that, it's important they realize there is responsibility that comes with
being afforded those opportunities and staying drug-free is one of those
responsibilities."

While Andreassi views the drug testing policy as a win-win situation that
has yielded positive numbers in the eyes of the school district, Seneca
Valley can't count Witold Walczak as an ally.

Walczak, the legal director of the Pittsburgh branch of the American Civil
Liberties Union, disagrees with the procedure.

"Unless this school can show that they had a serious drug problem in the
past and they have tried other methods, I really don't see how this is
either a good thing or all that legal," Walczak said.

"It's one thing if the kid in bridge club comes in and his eyes are glassy
and students are showing suspicious behavior, but I just don't see a
legitimate reason why there is testing going on."

While each student who drives to school or participates in a sport or
extracurricular activity is required to pay a $26 fee for their initial
test, up to 60 random tests per week are also done on those students. While
Andreassi couldn't say how much the random testing costs, she said it was
part of the school district's budget.

The cost, however, perturbs Walczak.

"We don't have the legal authority to contest this," Walczak said.

"We would only really look into it if we had a complaint from a parent
whose child has been affected by this.

"But, from my standpoint, I really have to ask the question 'How many books
and how much new equipment can be bought with the money the district is
spending?' We have to ask ourselves what this money could otherwise be
spent on."