HALT OF RANDOM DRUG TESTS AT HIGH SCHOOL IS OVERTURNED

TRENTON - Students who participate in team sports or clubs at Hunterdon
Central Regional High School in Raritan Township or who park there can be
randomly tested for drugs, a state appeals court ruled yesterday.

The 2-1 decision rejected the argument that the New Jersey Constitution
provides more privacy protection in such situations than the U.S.
Constitution. The ruling overturned a Superior Court judge's January 2001
injunction that stopped random drug testing by the school.

"We find no basis for concluding that the state constitution warrants a
different approach than that taken by the U.S. Supreme Court with respect
to the question of drug testing in the public schools under the Fourth
Amendment," the appellate panel said.

School attorney Kevin B. Kovacs said the district hoped to have the testing
policy back in place for the coming school year. J.C. Salyer, an American
Civil Liberties Union attorney, said the decision would be appealed to the
state Supreme Court.