DIVIDED ON RANDOM DRUG TESTING

Controversy over students' rights vs. safety draws different opinions
among parents and researchers

Stella Luther, a random selection expert for Mobile Occupational
Services, demonstrates a breath alcohol test at the facility in
Hesperia. As the state Legislature ponders banning schools from
randomly testing students for drugs, local parents are divided on the
issue.

The controversy over students' rights vs. safety and drug-free kids
divides not only parents, but researchers. Two studies released in
2003 produced opposite results.

A study of two Oregon high schools, one that randomly tested its
athletes and another that did not test athletes, found that the school
with the testing reported one-fourth the drug use than the school that
did not have random drug testing, according to the Oregon Health and
Science University.

Of 135 athletes who attended Wahtonka High School, only 5.3 percent
said they used drugs. Wahtonka required its athletes to agree to
mandatory random drug testing to participate in sports, according to
the study.

Warrenton High School did not require students to drug test, and
reported 19.4 percent of its 141 athletes used drugs, according to the
study.

The other study, from the University of Michigan, looked at 722 middle
and high schools across the nation from 1998 to 2001.

"The investigators found virtually identical rates of drug use in the
schools that have drug testing and the schools that don't," the report
said.

For example, the study showed 36 percent of 12th-grade students at
non-testing schools said they used marijuana within the year prior to
the study, compared to 37 percent in schools that tested.

Some local school officials said the proposed state law wouldn't
change the way they fight drug use on their campuses, because they
don't use random drug testing.

Parents interviewed by the Daily Press were divided over the issue of
random drug testing in schools.

Robert Marshall recalls having to do drug testing and probation after
being caught in the company of a family member who was carrying marijuana.

When it happened more than 20 years ago, the Victorville man didn't
have a history of drug use, nor does he now, he said. A judge put him
on probation and he had to undergo drug testing anyway.

Marshall has four children between the ages of 2 and 11, and he thinks
the best way to keep kids off drugs is through education, not the fear
of drug testing.

"(Random drug testing) is not a deterrent. If someone is going to do
drugs, they're going to do drugs, regardless," Marshall said.

Some parents had no problem with the idea of their child being tested
for drugs at school.

Others agree with the authors of a new legislative bill that would
require school officials to have "reasonable suspicion" of drug use
before testing a student.

Senate Bill 1386 would ban random drug testing in California schools.
The bill has passed the Senate and is awaiting approval from the Assembly.

Eileen Mastro of Wrightwood is one of those parents who wouldn't mind
if school officials tested her children for drugs. If her child were
using drugs, she would want to know, Mastro said.

"I think anything that would deter them from doing it would be a good
thing," Mastro said.

Mastro's children are 4 and 6 years old.

Andrea Bertrand of Victorville also would want to know if her kids
were taking drugs. Her children are 10, 8 and 7, but she said some
kids start using drugs in the fifth and sixth grades.

"I like to keep my kids safe," Bertrand said.

Tasia VanDoren also has young children right now and wants to make
sure their rights and privacy are respected when they're in school.
The Wrightwood mother said that school officials should have a
"reasonable suspicion" before administering a drug test.

"(Random testing) would be a good incentive, but I just think it's the
wrong way to go about it," VanDoren said.

Random drug testing is not a part of the drug policy in the Snowline
Joint Unified School District, Superintendent Art Golden said. If a
school official suspects a student is using drugs, he or she will talk
to the student and the parents are notified.

Verified drug use results in a recommendation for expulsion, but there
are other actions the school officials can take, Golden said.

Any students expelled must complete drug or alcohol counseling before
the district will consider readmitting them, Golden said.

The Hesperia Unified School District has a similar policy,
Superintendent Dick Bray said.

The bill is Senator John Vasconcellos' way of limiting the Supreme
Court's decision to allow random drug testing of students in
extracurricular activities in response to a documented problem, Bray
said.

Vasconcellos, D-Santa Clarita, authored the bill.

Bray doesn't expect it to change the way Hesperia schools operate.

"We've never taken advantage of the Supreme Court decision," he said.
"We've never had to."

A local drug-screening company, Mobile Occupational Services of
Hesperia, conducts at least 10 to 15 tests a month on kids at their
parents' request, said Ellie Millar, the manager.

"Parents do want to know," Millar said.

Millar thinks it's a wrong move on the state's part not to allow the
random testing. It is becoming commonplace in schools in other parts
of the country, especially for students involved in extracurricular
activities, Millar said.

School officials tend to see the children more than their parents do,
and they could identify a student using drugs earlier than the
parents, Millar said.

Millar said kids abusing drugs most often test positive for marijuana,
speed and alcohol. Millar offers classes to teach parents how to
identify illegal drug use and handle the problem.

"Parents put their head in the sand," she said. "Parents need to know
more than the kids know."

For more information on the drug information classes, call 244-6886.