OUR VIEW: DRUG TESTING IDEA HAS ITS DRAWBACKS

The La Crosse School District is considering random drug testing for
students involved in extra-curricular activities. But that approach might
send the wrong message that students involved in activities are more likely
to be drug users. And the drug test under consideration would not detect
alcohol, tobacco or steroids. Alcohol is by far the most abused drug. And
if we are concerned about athletes, wouldn't steroid use be something we
would be concerned about?

In addition, one of the counselors that the school district relies on for
advice on drug use and other issues does not believe that drug testing is
the way to go.

Mark Taylor, a counselor at Gundersen Lutheran, believes that the district
would be better off conducting an intensive training for staff members to
recognize teen depression - which often manifests itself in drug use,
acting out and other negative behaviors.

In a memo to La Crosse School Superintendent Tom Downs, Taylor wrote: "The
single most effective intervention that could be made to prevent substance
abuse, address adolescent mental health and risky behavior issues would be
to address the issue of adolescent depression ... the single most common
symptom of a wide variety of issues for kids and, unfortunately, the most
missed diagnosed and misunderstood."

The idea for drug testing came from Logan High School activities director
Todd Fischer. Under a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision, drug testing for
students involved in competitive activities has been ruled constitutional.

Schools may not do random tests on the entire school population because
education is a basic right and testing would violate the students'
constitutional rights. But activities are a privilege and districts are
allowed to impose random drug testing as a condition for involvement in
activities.

Fischer says at least 50 percent to 60 percent of student athletes use
drugs, particularly marijuana. The Mississippi Valley Athletic Conference,
which includes La Crosse and other area schools, has discussed drug
testing. La Crosse schools already conduct random locker searches for
drugs. And athletic code violations are punished when students are caught.
Would the district benefit from random drug tests? Should that be a
requirement of students in band, show choir and other activities? And why
do we assume that those students use drugs and students not involved in
activities do not?

Let's not put up barriers to involvement in activities. Instead, the
district should explore more fully the ideas that Taylor brought up. That
approach seems more likely to get the results we want.