MARIAN CATHOLIC TO TEST ALL STUDENTS FOR DRUGS

All students at Marian Catholic High School would be drug tested
starting next school year under a proposal being considered by
officials at the Chicago Heights school.

"We've had a lot of discussion (about this issue)," school president
Sister Mary Paul McCaughey said, adding that the school board has
"given the green light" to do the testing.

Over the past few months, Marian Catholic has conducted online and
phone-based surveys and held board discussions. School officials also
held conferences with students and parents about the issue.

Sister Kathleen Tait, the school's principal, said parents are in
favor of drug testing by a "2-to-1 ratio."

The school will hold an informational meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday
with a representative from the company that would do the testing. The
meeting, in the school's Leadership Center, 700 Ashland Ave., is open
to the public.

The school plans to make a final decision on the matter sometime
after a second meeting with the company scheduled for Jan. 30.

The tests would cost the school $50 per student per year, McCaughey
said. Every student would be tested at least once a year - likely at
the start of the school year - and then random tests would be
administered throughout the year.

The tests would check students' hair follicles for marijuana,
cocaine, Ecstasy, PCP and some other drugs - but not for steroids.
The hair follicle tests would show any drug use within the past 90 to
100 days, McCaughey said.

She stressed that Marian does not have a significant drug problem and
said the purpose of the tests mostly would be to deter students from
using drugs. It also could help those with a problem get help, she said.

"Truthfully, the drug problem (at Marian) is down, and that's good,
because nationally, it's up," McCaughey said.

Nonetheless, even a small number of students using drugs is too many,
she said, and it "impacts the whole school."

McCaughey said students who fail a first drug test would get
counseling. The test results would remain confidential between the
student, parents and one administrator.

The student then would be tested again at his or her own expense.

A student who fails two tests in a school year "would be asked to
withdraw (from the school)," McCaughey said.

McCaughey said St. Patrick High School in Chicago and St. Viator High
School in Arlington Heights have been using hair follicle tests for
drug use on their students and have had success with the program.