POLK STUDENTS, OFFICIALS WEIGH DRUG TESTING

COLUMBUS -- Classes have been in session at Polk County High School only a
few days, but as students start the new school year they also face the
possibility of random drug testing in the months to come.

Members of the Polk County Board of Education discussed the issue at their
July meeting following a recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court approving
random drug testing of public high school students in extracurricular
activities.

While the school system is only gathering information about the possibility
of implementing drug screening tests at this time, Polk County Schools
Superintendent Susan McHugh said this could become another weapon in the war
on drugs.

"The board is considering random drug testing as just one more tool that we
may use to keep children away from drugs," McHugh said. "In our school
system, we really feel we have reduced the number of drug incidents on our
campuses. We know some of our students may be exposed to drugs and alcohol
in hours after the school day, and we're trying to come up with strategies
where they don't even want to deal with illegal substances."

Supreme Court Weighs In

On June 27, the Supreme Court approved random drug testing of public high
school students in extracurricular activities. By a narrow 5-4 vote, the
court ruled the responsibility of local school officials for the health and
safety of their students can outweigh students' privacy concerns.

Justice Clarence Thomas wrote the majority opinion for the decision, which
authorized drug testing for any student representing his or her school.

"A student's privacy interest is limited in a public school environment
where the state is responsible for maintaining discipline, health and
safety," Thomas wrote. "Schoolchildren are routinely required to submit to
physical examinations and vaccinations against disease. Securing order in
the school environment sometimes requires that students be subjected to
greater controls than those appropriate for adults."

In 1995, the Supreme Court authorized mandatory random drug testing for
student athletes, ruling that there are special safety risks and lower
expectations of privacy regarding them.

Polk County's Plans

Polk County currently does not test any students for possible drug use,
although it does have a policy disciplining any students found possessing
tobacco, alcohol, drugs or other controlled substances.

If students are found with alcohol or narcotics, they may be suspended from
school and are ineligible to participate in athletic and extracurricular
activities for at least 60 days during the current school semester.

Polk County Athletic Director Jeff Wilson is gathering information about
testing students for drugs and alcohol and said he thinks the idea could
serve a greater good for the entire school system.

"I think the theory behind it is to help young people, and most testing is
done to screen for substance abuse, so I support that," Wilson said. "Being
involved in athletics is a privilege, and so is belonging to the Fellowship
of Christian Athletes, the chess club or whatever other activities a student
might choose. If this is deemed necessary by the board, I will support it,
but I don't feel we're at a point where we need it right now."

Band director Pat Burke said screening students for drugs seems OK, but he
expressed concern the effort might not achieve the desired results.

"I hate giving away any individual's rights, but I don't know if not being
tested for drugs is really a right," Burke said. "I think I'd favor it, but
I'm really not sure that students involved in extracurricular activities are
the ones involved in any drug scene anyway."

Students Seem Divided

Senior Heather Walsh plays soccer for Polk County High, but she doesn't
think any of her fellow athletes should submit to drug tests.

"It's the parents' responsibility to look after their kids, and the school
shouldn't be involved," Walsh said. "I don't think they should drug-test,
period."

Senior Julien House is on the boy's soccer team and favors the idea of drug
testing at his school.

"I think if you don't have anything to hide, there's nothing wrong with it,"
the 17-year-old said. "I really don't have any objection to it."

Senior Michael Kent said he has heard of the Supreme Court ruling, but he
doesn't think any action on the issue by the Board of Education would have
an impact on him.

"They might do a little testing and I might even be picked, but it doesn't
really affect me," Kent said. "It may be something of a privacy issue to
some people, but I don't really go for drugs and don't really like the
people who do."

Local Officials React

There are no current plans to consider screening students for drugs in
Henderson County Public Schools, but Superintendent Tom Burnham said he
would advise the School Board to proceed with caution if there were.

"I'm not opposed to it, but I think it's something we would need to examine
very carefully and see what parents have to say about the issue before
moving in any direction," Burnham said.

Paul Averette, chairman of the Transylvania County Board of Education, said
educators in his region have no current plans to test students for drugs and
he does not anticipate any discussion along those lines unless a problem is
identified.

Polk County High School Principal Bill Miller said no matter what is decided
about drug testing at his school, he thinks raising the issue is in the best
interest of all students.

"I think we as professional educators have a responsibility to guide our
students to be the best they can be," Miller said. "If there are some kids
being pressured to do drugs, this could give them a tool to make the right
decision, and that might be a valuable resource for the school system to
have."