HAVERHILL CONSIDERS SCHOOL DRUG TESTING

With OxyContin fears on the rise in Essex County, Haverhill has joined
Salem in exploring the idea of random drug testing to save its students.

The Haverhill School Committee voted 6-0 Thursday night to form a task
force to research drug-testing policies, according School Committee
member Scott W. Wood Jr.

"The 2003 Youth Risk Survey found that 17 percent (at Haverhill High)
are using hard drugs - that's almost one in five students," Wood
said. "Those aren't small numbers."

The Haverhill action follows Salem Superintendent Herb Levine's
announcement this month that his own son had been abusing drugs and
that he will appoint a drug-test task force.

While some parents applauded the proposals, some students said it
would be an unwelcome intrusion.

"Personally, I'm totally against it," Salem High School senior Erik
Groszyk said. "I've got nothing to hide. But it seems like they're
singling us out because we're high school students and because I'm a
high school athlete. Will they do it to teachers as well? Adults have
drug problems."

"It's an invasion of privacy," said Haverhill High School senior
Mikaela Ferlan. "In theory it's a good idea, but in practice I don't
think it will be used to help people. I'm afraid it could fall into
the wrong hands and be used to punish people."

One Haverhill parent who asked not to be identified said she had to
send her 15-year-old son to a secure private school after he became
heavily involved with drugs.

"We basically had to save his life," she said. "It should be
done."

Julie Shea of Salem said, "I am going to apply to be on the task
force. I have a lot of questions, but I think it's a great idea. We're
talking about saving kids' lives. That's the bottom line here."