STUDENTS MAY FACE DRUG TESTS

Campbell County students who participate in extracurricular activities may
be subjected to random drug tests.

A committee formed by the Campbell County school board to study the merits
of drug testing met for the first time Tuesday.

Campbell County Superintendent Roger Brady said he doesn't believe the
district is overrun with drugs, but knows drug activity has been a problem
in the county.

"There are drugs in every high school in America," said Chris Gramke, a
spokesman for the district. "We realize Campbell County is no exception. We
also aren't blind to the fact that there is a problem in the entire county
with people between the ages of 14 and 25 doing heroin. We feel it's a
proactive way to fight dugs."

Other Northern Kentucky schools conduct random drug tests. Dayton became
the first district in the state when it started testing its athletes in
1995. The Erlanger-Elsmere district followed two years later.

Campbell County already conducts drug sweeps with dogs, but has never found
any heroin at school, Gramke said. The committee, which includes parents,
will make a recommendation on whether to implement drug testing, when and
who to test. Right now testing is being considered at both the high school
and middle school level, Gramke said.