SUPREME COURT RULING MAY MEAN MORE DRUG TESTING IN SCHOOLS

A recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court will allow random drug testing of
students involved in extracurricular activities. In addition to saying a
monologue or playing a solo, students trying out for the next school play
or band may also have to provide a urine or hair sample.

If this was to happen in Talladega and St. Clair counties, many students
would not mind.

"Taking part in extracurricular activities is a privilege. It makes the
whole school, team or club look bad if even one person is using," said
Jessica Kelley, who will be a junior at Sylacauga High School in August.

Kelley, who participates in a number of after school activities like band,
track and the Future Problem Solvers, said being drug tested would not
bother her.

"If you have nothing to hide, I don't see what the whole grump is about,"
she said.

For student athletes in Sylacauga and the rest of the country, such testing
is nothing new. Citing safety concerns, courts have allowed testing of
students who play on school sports teams

On June 27, however, the Supreme Court ruled by vote of 5-4 that schools
can force students participating in any extracurricular activity such as
band, the chess team or the drama club to submit to drug testing if they
want to take part in the activity.

Sylacauga High School finished its first year of mandatory, random drug
testing for student athletes and band members. Principal Jack Housch said
the program "worked very well for the year."

The city's school board implemented the program after a parent and athlete
advisory committee brought together to discuss drug testing recommended it
to the board. The committee felt that not only athletes but band members
should also be tested.

Housch said students participating in these activities have to sign a form
stating they agree to testing at the beginning of the year. If a student is
tested, they have to sign another form agreeing to the test. If they do not
sign, they may not participate.

Housch said 20 percent of the student athletes and band members were tested
during year. The school used an independent Birmingham firm to do the
tests, which it conducted four times a year.

Beginning in August, the rest of the school's 26 activities and student
organizations will be allowed to take part in the testing if the majority
of the student members agree to it.

Now that the school can test members of all clubs, will it? Housch said he
does not see this happening any time soon because, in part, of the school's
inexperience with testing.

He said he believes if parents feel testing should be addressed, the board,
which makes the decision whether to implement testing, will be open to
discussing it.

As for the Supreme Court ruling, Housch said he agrees with the ruling
because it puts the decision to test in the hands of the local school
board. Such boards have different needs, and they can best decide how to
addressed such needs.

Bobby Hathcock, superintendent of Pell City schools, said it was his
understanding all athletes at the high school were tested for drugs last
year, adding that it was a seasonal thing coinciding with the sport an
athlete participates in.

"In the past, we've randomly tested our employees, too," Hathcock added.
"We may not test as much as some, but probably more than others." He said
that, with the new Supreme Court ruling, they could expand their drug
testing program to all students who are involved in extracurricular
activities, but that will depend on the availability of funds.

"We spent $7,000 on drug testing this past year," he said.

Hathcock said it may not sound like much money, but it was money was well
spent in combating drug and alcohol abuse among student-athletes.

"We're probably have a similar program this year," he said.

Jay Brown, the new athletic director and head football coach for Pell City
High School, is glad the drug testing program is in place at the high school.

"I think it's a good idea," Brown said. "It's for the safety and benefit of
the students."

Although there was not drug testing of athletes at Brown's former employer,
McAdory High School, he was involved with drug testing for many years at
Jacksonville State University.

J. J. Johnson, who will be a sophomore at B. B. Comer High School in
Sylacauga, said she feels the testing "is for the best" and would not mind
being tested.

"If you are going to take drugs and play sports, you need to be caught at
it. You shouldn't be participating in activities," Johnson said.

"I see a lot of people getting away with taking drugs and doing sports. The
coaches don't say a thing," she said.

The Talladega County school system does not do any type of drug testing of
its students, according to Assistant Superintendent Nancy Cotter.

Cotter said the county school board researched and studied the possibility
of drug testing but did not implement anything.

Both Cotter and board member Eddie McLain said the system has not had a
significant problem with drug use and extracurricular activities in the past.

Both also said they like the Supreme Court ruling because if parents or the
community feel in the future that drugs are becoming a problem in these
activities, the board will have the option of testing.

Cotter said the board would seek input from parents and the community
before seriously considering drug testing. If the board ever decided to
test, the board will have to overcome the difficult hurdle of finding
funding for it, she said.

Talladega City Schools does not test students at this time. However, should
testing ever be conducted, the system should randomly test students from
every club to be fair to all, said Vicki Dick, curriculum coordinator.

"As educators we can't say we're only going to test a certain group
academically. Under state law, we have to test everyone. So, why should one
group of students be excluded from drug testing if the others are tested?
Every student participating in extracurricular activities should have the
equal opportunity to be tested for drugs. What we do for one group, we
should do for the others." Dick said

Parents' attitudes on drug testing

Just like students, many parents feel strongly about drug testing. Oak
Grove resident Dana Bowden said she agrees with the Supreme Court ruling.

"I know there are a lot of drugs in the school system. I have been out for
11 years, and there were quite a few then. There must be more now," said
Bowden, who has an 18-month-old son.

She said she would not have a problem with a school giving him a drug test
when he gets older.

"We need to do something to let students know that drugs are not good and
dangerous to do and that adults are taking this seriously," she said

One reason why Bowden likes testing is safety. Drug use may contribute to
the number of accidents and injuries that happen during extracurricular
activities such as sports, which already carry risks for participants who
are sober.

On the other hand, Bowden believes that people do have rights, but there
are also a limit to these rights. She said schools should follow rules for
such testing, but what these rules should be is hard to say.

Like Bowden, Childersburg resident Annie Reaves, the mother of grown
children who went to Talladega County schools, said she would not mind them
being tested if it was done back then.

"I don't see where it would invade their rights. If you're not guilty of
something, you don't have anything to hide," Reaves said.

Reaves feels that testing would solve many the troubles that drugs cause in
schools by alerting parents and teachers to drug problems before they got
out hand.

She was recently drug tested for her job and did not find anything
violating or wrong with the experience.

Some legal scholars have said they do not like the Supreme Court ruling on
drug testing and extracurricular activities because it increases the
likelihood that the courts will endorse the mandatory, random testing of
all students, regardless of whether they participate in after school
activities.

Several Supreme Court justices have said they would like to decide if this
type of all-inclusive testing is constitutional.

Johnson and Kelley said they would not have a problem with seeing such
testing in their schools.

Sylacauga resident Tonette Turner, the mother of Sylacauga High School
alumni, said she would welcome such testing.

"The sooner we discourage kids from using drugs, the better off society
will be," Turner said.

Not all people, however, feel that such testing is desirable. Blake Barnes,
who will be a junior at Sylacauga High this school year, said he believes
schools should limit who and when they test.

Barnes said he believes schools should randomly test athletes because
playing sports requires a commitment to being healthy, but the testing
should not extend beyond that.

As for the testing of any student, Barnes feels this should only be
conducted if a teacher or counselor has some evidence or reason to believe
that a student is using drugs.

Editor's note: Kelli Tipton and David Atchison contributed to this story.