DRUG DEALERS HAVE 'ACCESS,' DISTRICT ATTORNEY SAYS

Re: "School Board to finance drug testing," Jan. 29:

Orleans Parish School Board President Ellenese Brooks-Simms, referring
to our federal grant for drug testing and treatment and our offer to
provide this program to high schools, said: "We know Harry Connick got
$400,000 to continue his drug testing program, but he can't do that
unless we give him access to our children. And we're not going to give
him access to our children."

Ms. Brooks-Simms must know that the district attorney's office already
has access to "their" children (are they not our children, too?) and
will continue to have access for a long time unless her biased
attitude against drug testing changes.

I invite Ms. Brooks-Simms to visit Orleans Parish Prison, Juvenile
Court or Criminal Court. I invite her to read the monthly letter and
statistics I send to her and the other board members that prove that
virtually all juvenile drug arrestees have attended public schools.

Long after I'm gone, the district attorney's office will continue to
have "access" to public school students who use drugs unless our
public school leaders open their minds and eyes, set aside their
biases and realize they have abandoned their responsibilities to
provide safe and drug-free schools.

In the meantime, it is the drug dealers who have ample access to our
children.

Harry Connick

District attorney

New Orleans