DRUG TESTING SUPPORTED

The U.S. Supreme Court recently held that a school's interest in deterring
students from using drugs by the use of random drug testing outweighed the
privacy interest of the students.

The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia
University reports that substance abuse adds billions of dollars to the
costs of elementary and secondary education in terms of special education.

Schools must be allowed to use all reasonable means to combat drug and
alcohol use if education is to be successful and our schools are to be
safe. Drug testing deters drug use and gives students a reason to say "no"
when their peers ask them to use drugs.

Our nation uses random drug testing on military personnel and
transportation workers to insure national security and safe travel. Our
interests in student safety, health, and educational quality are equally
compelling. We must be willing to use the same tools to defend our
children. They deserve no less.

Nancy Starr

Erie