HIGH COURT RULING BOLSTERS AREA SCHOOLS ON DRUG TESTING

The U.S. Supreme Court ruling yesterday upholding drug testing of students
involved in competitive activities will mean little change in North
Baltimore, Ohio.

For three years, the Wood County district has had mandatory drug tests for
all students involved in extracurricular activities in grades 7-12,
Superintendent Rick Van Mooy said.

He said he was "very pleased that the Supreme Court recognized the
importance of providing this service to our students and their parents."

About 220 of the 330 high school students participate in some activity, he
said.

In a 5-4 decision released yesterday, the Supreme Court ruled against a
former Oklahoma honors student who was drug-tested when she competed on an
academic quiz team and sang in the choir.

The ruling was overshadowed, in part, by the ruling upholding the voucher
program in Cleveland which received widespread attention from media and
educators.

But in Otsego it meant a newly proposed drug testing policy had judicial
backing.

"Our board since April has been discussing drug testing and has looked at
the examples of what area schools have been doing," Superintendent Joe Long
said.

"The board has been considering it and somewhat delaying a decision to give
our community members and parents an opportunity to share opinions and
impressions they may have about instituting such a policy here."

The Otsego policy would encompass all students involved in extracurricular
activities, including athletic and quiz bowl teams, choirs, band, and art
clubs - all of which are involved in competitions.

Many other northwest Ohio districts have no drug-testing policies.

Randy Hardy, superintendent of Anthony Wayne Local Schools, said the
district uses other methods to counter any drug-use problems.

"We have not felt a need to put that kind of policy in place. It had been
reviewed a few years ago," he said. "We make it known what our expectations
are and parents as well. We have decided that is the best route to go."

Toledo Public Schools does not drug test any students, said Sheila Austin,
chief of staff. "Currently, we have not had discussions about it," she
said. About 4,200 of the district's roughly 11,300 junior high and high
school students participate in sports. No figures for other competitive
extracurricular activities were immediately available.

Sylvania administrators have discussed having a drug testing policy but
have not taken it to the board of education, Nancy Crandall, the district's
spokeswoman, said.

"It has not been a priority," she said.

Bowling Green City Schools does not drug test any students, said Kathy
Zackl, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction.

In North Baltimore, random urinalysis tests are conducted at a cost of
$2,500 to $3,000 per school year, Mr. Van Mooy said. Testing is done for
drugs, tobacco, and alcohol.

Although there was some community opposition when the program was
introduced - mostly stemming from concerns about privacy - the drug testing
now is considered as "pretty routine on the part of the kids and the
community," he said.

The program was designed to give students a reason to say no to drugs and
to provide help for students without them being penalized.

If a student tests positive, there are no sanctions for the first offense
providing that the parents become involved and that the student undergoes
an assessment and complies with the recommendations.

Very few students test positive, the superintendent said. Most students who
test positive have been using tobacco, he said.

North Baltimore did not experience any noticeable decline in participation
in extracurriculars because of the drug-testing policy, he said.