CRUZ APPEARS ON 'O'REILLY FACTOR' AGAINST DRUG TESTS

School Committee member Emilio E. Cruz appeared on Fox News' "The O'Reilly
Factor" last night, a national cable television talk show, arguing against
a proposal to test school children for drug use.

Mr. Cruz told host Bill O'Reilly that he felt the proposal to test students
for drugs -- with parental consent -- was a vote-getting ploy by Mayor
Frederick M. Kalisz Jr. right before an election. Mr. Cruz also said he is
worried about the confidentiality of the tests.

"We cannot play with the education of our children for political purposes,"
Mr. Cruz said.

But Mr. O'Reilly, who called New Bedford "the heroin capital of New
England," called the proposal a great idea, and labeled Mr. Cruz's
opposition "wishy-washy."

"If I'm in New Bedford, I'm signing up for this program. I'm going to do
everything I can to keep my kids off heroin," Mr. O'Reilly said. "You don't
want your kids taking heroin, right, Mr. Cruz?"

Mr. O'Reilly has a regular segment on his half-hour show where he takes on
the American Civil Liberties Union on a particular issue. The ACLU has
announced that it will fight the drug testing of students in New Bedford if
the proposal is implemented.

Mr. Cruz drove to a Watertown television studio to be grilled on the issue
live by Mr. O'Reilly, who was in the Fox News Channel studio in New York City.

Mr. Cruz has called for all School Committee members to take a drug test if
the plan is implemented, as a sign of leadership. But Mr. Cruz will not be
on the School Committee after Nov. 4., having been eliminated from
contention in the Oct. 7 preliminary election.