WASHINGTON DELAYS VOTE ON DRUG-TESTING

Washington School Board has nixed, for now, plans to test students
suspected of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

At Monday's meeting, board members tabled, perhaps indefinitely,
consideration of a drug-testing policy after concerns were raised over
liability issues. The district also is awaiting the outcome of a forum
on school drug-testing at the Pennsylvania Association of Student
Assistance Professionals conference, which convenes this week.

"There were concerns about putting the district or any of our
employees at risk," Superintendent Roberta DiLorenzo said Tuesday.

The debate over drug-testing in schools recently has been debated in
the country's highest courts and in school district boardrooms.
President Bush is calling for a 10-fold increase, from $2 million to
$23 million, in federal spending for school drug-testing next year. In
2002, the Supreme Court affirmed that schools could randomly test for
drugs students who participate in sports and extracurricular
activities. The ruling affirmed a practice by Burgettstown Area School
District, which had been randomly drug-testing student athletes since
1997 and began testing students who drive the following year.
Canon-McMillan began testing student drivers and those involved in
extracurricular activities shortly after the Supreme Court ruling.

But the state Supreme Court muddied the waters in November when it
ruled that such tests may be in violation of the state's constitution,
which provides greater protection of right to privacy.

Washington's policy was not random and called only for testing of
students suspected of abusing drugs or alcohol.

High school Principal Ron Junko, who recommended that the policy be
tabled, said he had concerns about the reliability and invasive nature
of oral fluid testing, the method suggested in the policy.

Junko said he spoke with school districts that had used oral testing,
and said he heard reports of false positives.

"I have a problem legally on this. I'm putting my nurse at risk,"
Junko said.

For now, students suspected of using drugs or alcohol will face
measures "more rehabilitative than punitive," Junko said. If a student
is visibly intoxicated, or in possession of alcohol or drugs while in
school, he or she is immediately suspended. If alcohol or drug use is
suspected, their parents are contacted immediately, Junko said.

"I'm allowed to search and seize if I have a suspicion of a student
who has drugs on them. When you're going into an invasive type
procedure, like swabbing, that opens up a whole other avenue," Junko
said.

In February 2003, Bethel Park School District instituted a
drug-testing policy similar to the one Washington had been
considering.

Spokeswoman Vicki Flotta said the district came under considerable
scrutiny when it initially implemented the policy, which since has
received approval from the American Civil Liberties Union.

"We didn't want to target a specific group of kids like the band or
cheerleaders or football. We wanted to focus our efforts where we felt
there was reasonable suspicion," Flotta said.

Bethel Park has tested 20 students in the last year. Half were
conducted at the parents' request, Flotta said. Often, students admit
to using drugs before the test is administered.

"They will say, 'Don't bother. I'm using,'" Flotta said.

If a student exhibits questionable behavior, he or she is taken to the
school nurse who determines if a test is needed, Flotta said. If
parents disagree with the results, they can have an independent test
done. So far, no parent has challenged the results.

"We think the policy's working," Flotta said.