FORMER DA DEFENDS DRUG TESTS

Re: "Bush drug-testing proposal revives local schools' debate," Page A-6,
Jan. 23.

Each time District Attorney Eddie Jordan addresses a subject related to my
administration, he tells us how monumentally unfamiliar he is with the
facts.

In President Bush's State of the Union address, the president spoke of his
planned request to Congress for $23 million for high school drug testing.
Mr. Jordan was interviewed about this and he questioned why Psychomedics
Corp. was chosen as the company to do the hair testing for our school
program without putting the contract out for bid.

Here's why: Psychomedics was the only company in the country with a patented
hair testing method. Because no other companies tested hair, no one else was
eligible to bid. Also, when tests are offered free and are privately funded,
grants are not required.

Over the years, we have raised well over a million dollars for high school
drug testing. All of this money was raised for Orleans Parish schools. When
then-schools CEO Al Davis and the Orleans School Board rejected our repeated
offers for free testing, the money went to Jefferson Parish.

If Mr. Jordan is going to be "appalled," it should be at our public school
authorities for turning down hundreds of thousands of dollars for drug
assessment and treatment.

Also, for Mr. Jordan's information, there is no "racial bias" in the
Psychomedics hair testing method. That is a scientific fact.

If and when the Orleans Parish Public School Board decides it wants to begin
drug testing, and they want me to, I'll get the money for them -- again.

Harry Connick Sr.

New Orleans