ST. AGNES WILL TEST STUDENTS FOR DRUG USE

Hair Samples To Be Analyzed

St. Agnes Academy will begin drug-testing its students in January. When
school officials first announced plans for drug-testing back in August, it
was uncertain whether they would begin the program this school year or wait
until next fall.

But, based on the positive response from parents, school administrators said
they decided to begin this school year.

"Parent and student support was the major catalyst to start. They were
ready. They're excited, so we decided to go forward," St. Agnes president
Barbara Daush said.

Originally, Daush said that, if the January date was chosen, only juniors
and seniors - a total of about 171 girls - would be tested.

Now, there's consideration being given to testing all four upper-class
grades - about 347 girls - in January, although Daush said that decision
wouldn't be made for a few more days.

"We're considering the other grades as well," Daush said. "It's possible
we'll begin with all upper-school students next semester."

Although the spring semester starts Jan. 3, Daush said testing probably
wouldn't begin until a few days after that.

The St. Agnes program will closely resemble the model adopted by Christian
Brothers High School in fall 2001.

Under CBHS policy, a student's hair is tested for marijuana, cocaine,
heroin, PCP, methamphetamines and ecstasy, although not alcohol. A positive
test will mean a visit between school officials, the student and parents,
while a second positive test will result in expulsion.

During the 2000-2001 school year, CBHS performed 1,100 tests on 868
students. In all, 19 boys tested positive for drugs, all marijuana, with
four of those testing positive a second time.

Daush said that St. Agnes is considering using Psychemedics, the same
Cambridge, Mass.-based company CBHS uses. She also said that punishment for
positive results will also be the same.

"It'll be a hair sampling modeled right after the Christian Brothers model.
We're using exactly the same method," Daush said. "(The only difference is)
we just have longer hair. That's really it."

Rosemary Shaw, co-president of the Upper School Parents Association and
mother of two St. Agnes students, said she and other parents still support
the program.

In addition to CBHS, Bishop Byrne Middle and High School in Whitehaven has
adopted a drug-testing program.

Also, three other Catholic high schools - Immaculate Conception, Memphis
Catholic and St. Benedict at Auburndale - have said they are considering a
similar policy.

John Morris, a spokesman for the Catholic Diocese of Memphis, said programs
at those schools are not imminent.