Public debates drug testing at WRHS

In the war against drugs, a battle between protecting civil liberties and decreasing substance abuse took place at the Blaine County School District Board of Trustees meeting last Tuesday night.

Parents, teachers and students voiced emotional opinions of the proposal to drug test Wood River High School students involved in extra-curricular activities next school year.

Public comment ranged from those who felt drug testing is a critical tool in fighting substance abuse to some who asserted it’s the first step toward the disintegration of basic constitutional rights.

Many parents asked for a middle ground, and suggested the decision to test students be a parental choice, whether or not their children participate in extra-curricular activities.

"Let me tell you how we got to this point," said WRHS Principal Bill Resko. "One of the things we deal with, one of the most ugly things, is substance abuse."

He said drug and alcohol use is directly related to academic failure, violence, crime and suicide.

"Parents ask me what are we doing, and it’s never enough. It’s really never enough," he said.

Resko labeled the issue a health and safety one.

WRHS Athletic Director Charlie Miller said drug testing is all about accountability and a chance for students to say no to drugs.

"This is another chance for them to say no. Let them blame it on us," Miller said.

Currently, students participating in sports, band or various clubs sign a code of conduct stating they will not use drugs or alcohol, but there is no enforcement of the code.

A critical question addressed was whether or not substance abuse education and programs are working to discourage drug use.

"I think the drug testing policy is an excellent idea," Amy Federko told the board. "You’d be surprised at how many kids party, and this takes the peer pressure off."

"This helps us as parents, and I’m an involved parent. Trust me this is more rampant than you think," she said.

Teacher and varsity basketball coach Roger Quarles also supported testing, and said the toughest part of this past year was asking a good student and ball player to leave a sport he loves.

"With testing, I could’ve given that young man a second chance that I couldn’t give him this year," he said. "It’s a privilege, not a right to participate, and you make a choice. If you want to play on my team, here’s another rule, and my players have agreed with me," he said.

Quarles also noted that his son experimented with marijuana, something, his son said, he learned how to use in his DARE program.

One parent, who asked not to be identified in the press, said drug testing could have helped her as a parent last year when her teen-ager was using prescription drugs and alcohol.

"Parents don’t want to hear it, they don’t want to believe it, but most kids are trying drugs. When these kids are involved, they’re not thinking about their future choices," she said.

She said her teen benefited tremendously from substance abuse education and counseling through Project Respect.

Parent and lawyer Andy Parnes warned the board to heed the importance of constitutional rights, and said testing students should be offered to parents on a voluntary basis.

"This small group {athletes}is wrongly focused on, and you as the school board need to respect my right as a parent," he said.

Drug testing is already available to parents through the Wood River Medical Center.

Parent Pat Buchanan said he was vehemently against drug testing children.

"This is to presume their guilty before due process; this is not drug testing for the sake of participating in sports," he said.

Buchanan said the violation of rights is an open door to searches of student’s property or strip searches.

Psychologist Sally McCollum said she felt discouraged that testing is being considered as the only solution, and also asserted that drug education doesn’t have any credibility among youth.

"What we’re saying is we’re not able to mount a drug education system, and that’s appalling. We need to take this money and do something more effective," she said.

"There are good reasons not to do drugs, and being tested is lowest of them. Our money is obviously being flushed down the toilet," McCollum said.

The board did not comment on the issue, and will decide whether or not to implement drug testing at WRHS at its next meeting, Aug. 11, at 7:30 p.m. at the School District Office.