SUPREME COURT DECIDES TO ALLOW POLICY FOR ALL EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

School administrators across Faulkner County are reacting today in the wake
of the U.S. Supreme Court's Thursday ruling that random drug testing should
be allowed in public schools.

The ruling, a 5-4 decision, allows the random testing of any student in
middle or high school involved in any form of extracurricular activities.
The ruling broadens the court's 1995 decision to uphold the policy of
randomly testing student athletes.

The ruling has been awaited by the Conway School District because the
district postponed implementation of a similar policy last summer until the
court ruled in the case.

"We're going to study the issue," said Conway Superintendent James Simmons,
who was unwilling to speculate on the district's next move following the
ruling. "At the July board meeting, we might address it there. I would say
we'll be looking at what action we want to take."

"I think (the ruling is) significant," said David Bangs, who, as assistant
principal at Vilonia High School, helped spearhead a program of random
testing for students enrolled in activities. "To be honest, I didn't know
how the court would rule."

The ruling stems from a lawsuit brought against the Pottawatomie (Okla.)
County School District by a student who accused the district of violating
her right to privacy through its policy of random drug testing.

While the 1995 ruling focused specifically on the role of testing
student-athletes without making provisions for those involved in
nonathletic activities.

The decision, while met with general enthusiasm by some administrators, has
also drawn fire from those who claim that to conduct such testing is a
breach of a student's right to privacy. Dr. Bruce Plopper, a journalism
professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, who has children in
the Conway district, has been a vocal critic of the practice of random testing.

"Given that pediatricians and other national health organizations have come
out against student drug testing, any school board that tells its students
they can participate in extracurricular activities only if the school can
invade their privacy should be ashamed of itself," said Plopper.

"I don't feel they should put a child through that," said Ann Lasowski,
whose daughter will be participating as a cheerleader at Conway High School
East. Lasowski said that while she acknowledges that drug use among high
school students is a problem, she contends that the ultimate responsibility
should remain in the hands of the parent.

"It's not so much the kid not wanting it," said Lasowski. "I would like
that option."

While there have been pockets of opposition throughout the county, Vilonia
Superintendent Dr. Frank Mitchell said that the overall community response
to random testing has been positive.

The Vilonia district has also extended the policy of random testing to the
rest of the student body, allowing parents to ask the district to insert
their children's names into the pool of those to be tested, whether the
child is involved in activities or not.

Mitchell said that students not involved in activities who test positive
are not reprimanded by the school, unlike those participating in
extracurricular pursuits.

"It's been pretty positive," said Mitchell. "Most have viewed it as a
positive thing."

"I think we would have more of a problem if we dropped it," added Bangs,
who also indicated the community response to the testing policy has
remained positive.

Of approximately 14 million American high school students, more than 50
percent are estimated to participate in extracurricular activities.