RANDOM DRUG TESTING A COURAGEOUS PROPOSAL

In its Feb. 25 editorial, the Athens Banner-Herald suggested the Commerce
school superintendent's proposal to randomly test students for drug usage
is not a proper policy.

For 13 years, I served as a youth minister, and one of my children is
currently a student at Commerce Middle School. While I was a youth
minister, rumors surfaced that some young people had brought and used
alcohol on a ski trip sponsored by the church, a trip for which I was not
present. When we began planning the next trip, I brought the matter to our
youth council, asking them how they thought we should try to ensure this
would not be a problem.

Their first suggestion was that there should be an announcement that
everyone's baggage would be checked before we left. They were thinking the
luggage wouldn't have to be searched, that the threat would be enough of a
deterrent. But I told them if we announced a search, we would carry it out.

On the day of the trip, it was obvious one young man had not gotten the
message. When he asked what we were doing, I told him, and he confessed
there was a bottle of vodka in his bag. He had taken it from his house
without his parents' knowledge. Because he told us up front, I allowed him
to go on the trip with the understanding the bottle would stay behind and
we would talk with his parents about the incident when we returned. Our
goal was prevention rather than punishment.

Far from creating an atmosphere of mistrust, the result was that the young
man became more active in the youth group and I grew closer to both him and
his parents, and never had another problem with him.

Many adults face random testing at their workplace. Law enforcement
agencies conduct random sobriety tests on the highways. Such efforts are
not signs of mistrust so much as signs we are trying to come to grips with
the reality of the times.

I would think the lack of a specific problem in the Commerce school system
would make it far easier for the administration to simply pretend that our
kids don't do those kinds of things. The editorial suggested the proposal
is reactionary. I see it as a preventive measure.

From my perspective, the superintendent's proposal seems a courageous and
compassionate effort, and I'm glad my son is in the Commerce school system.

Carlton E. Allen

Pastor, First Baptist Church

Commerce