WORK LEFT BEFORE DRUG TESTING BECOMES REALITY IN CEDARBURG

School Officials To Host Forums, Research Civil Rights Implications
And Talk To Police

CEDARBURG - Despite claims by a parent at last week's Cedarburg
School Board meeting, district officials say they are nowhere near
implementing a program to randomly test high school students for drugs.

Parent David Kukla said he "sensed that the administrators and
participants have already reached a conclusion and are shopping for
that outside testing firm."

But Cedarburg School Superintendent Daryl Herrick said this week the
district is only at the point of collecting parent surveys designed
to get input on the idea.

"I think we were all a little surprised by that," Herrick said of
Kukla's statement before the board. "We are so far at the other end
of that. We have a lot more research to do. That is what the
community expects of us and that's what we expect of ourselves."

The district has been considering random drug testing for Cedarburg
High School students involved in extracurricular activities. The
preliminary steps have included mailing the survey to parents and
asking a lot of questions of Pewaukee High School administrators,
who implemented a similar program in 2003.

CHS officials say there is plenty more to be done, however, before
moving forward with such a program. That includes hosting community
forums, researching civil rights implications and holding more
discussions with parents, students and law enforcement.

The parent surveys were due last Friday, but CHS Principal Bob
Kobylski said it would be inappropriate to even discuss the number
of surveys returned before presenting that information to the board.

Kukla said he doesn't expect that he and his wife, Margreda, will be
the only parents to object to the idea.

"When you look at the total picture of it being an intrusive policy,
it's kind of misguided and ineffective," Kukla said.

He points to the American Academy of Pediatrics' recent statement
that reiterates its objection to randomly drug testing students. The
group says it has "strong reservations" with the practice and that
more research is needed on the safety and efficacy of implementing
such programs.

But parent Bonnie Raettig said she doesn't need any more information
to know that such testing in the schools is needed. Raettig, whose
daughter, Angela, died of a heroin overdose in late 2005, said
sometimes adolescents don't make the right choices on their own.

"I think we have to make decisions for students because they don't
always make the right decisions," said Raettig, who has a freshman
son at CHS. "Here we have another tool available to us. Why not use it?"

Raettig said that while students involved in extracurriculars are
less likely to engage in drug use, "soft drugs" like marijuana and
alcohol are widely available among high school students.

The Ozaukee Council, the local clearinghouse of information and
referral services for drug and alcohol issues, has not taken a stand
on the issue. Instead, the group distributes literature that shows
the benefits and risks, said Executive Director Shea Halula.

But Halula said Cedarburg school officials are on the right track by
thoroughly looking at the issues from all sides.

"It's got to be a district as well as a community decision," Halula said.

Raettig said if random drug testing is approved, she hopes school
officials provide treatment resources for the students and support
group opportunities for parents.

"One thing the school doesn't have now is a parent support group,"
Raettig said. "It would be nice to be able to call another parent
who may be going through the same thing. That's one place where I
felt really lost."