IS PEER COUNCIL AN ALTERNATIVE TO DRUG TESTS?

A letter to the editor in Saturday's Bristol Herald Courier may be worth a
second read by Bristol Virginia public school officials who are considering
a drug-testing policy for students. And the read needs to be done before
Monday's scheduled School Board review of a proposed policy to require drug
testing of all students involved in extracurricular activities. The letter
from Jeffrey Gill, a graduate of Washington County's John Battle High
School and now a senior at Virginia Tech, suggests there are alternatives
to attacking the drug problem.

"I find it appalling," Gill wrote, "that Bristol Virginia School Board
members are entertaining the notion of drug testing ..."

Gill claims such a policy would "alienate those students who do have a
problem with recreational drug use or abuse (and) further undermine the
ideal surrounding after-school activities."

He suggests a possible solution to the drug problem: peer councils in
middle and high schools.

"It works well at the college level," Gill writes, "and it would work even
more so in middle/high school."

We believe Gill's idea is worth considering, and for the reasons that he
states: "Getting children and teenagers involved in the education and
discussion involving drug use is the answer, not further alienating these
developing minds from positive feedbacks such as extracurricular involvement."

The board's drug-testing proposal would require any student and his or her
parent or guardian to sign a consent to drug tests before being eligible
for extracurricular activity.

According to a story in the March 4 edition of the Herald Courier, a weekly
urine screening arrangement would be established.

A positive drug test, under the proposal, would result in notification of
the superintendent, the student's parents and only the school personnel
necessary to "implement the discipline and intervention provided for in
this policy," Staff Writer Mike Still reported.

A first positive test would mean the student is placed on 20 days'
probation from any extracurricular activity and encouraged to seek
treatment and/or counseling. A second offense in the same school year or
any two consecutive school years would result in the student being
suspended from any extracurricular activity that school year and the next.
A third positive within two consecutive school years would would mean
permanent suspension from any extracurricular activities.

Well, that's certainly taking a firm stand. And those kinds of stands often
work, if the board strongly enforces the policy. That sometimes turns into
a lot of community debate as to whether some students get preferential
treatment.

We think Jeffrey Gill's alternative for peer councils would be worth
serious discussion.

Under Gill's proposal, a peer council would promote educational
opportunities for students, who under "peer pressure" would likely think
twice about drug use and abuse.

Peer councils are used successfully by public schools.

Take, for instance, Bay Springs High School in Bay Springs, Miss., which
has a Peer Council consisting 24 students, six from each grade. This group
of select students made a vow to stand up against drugs, alcohol and other
harmful issues, according to the school's Web site.

The Peer Council was organized during the 1995-96 school year. It promotes
campaigns during the year and presents various programs and speakers to
educate students about alcohol and other drugs.

We like the idea and believe that formal student involvement in such
activities is a worthy venture. We urge school officials, along with
students, teachers and parents, to explore this option.

Peer pressure can do wonders.