DISPUTED STUDENT DRUG TESTING STARTS IN NEW BEDFORD

The Bay State launched a controversial student drug-testing program in
New Bedford yesterday, handing the city $100,000 to fund a pilot
program that has drawn criticism from civil libertarians and some drug
policy experts. The program, expected to start next year, lets
parents decide whether to sign up their children for confidential,
random drug tests to be kept private from school and law enforcement
officials.

"The responsibility of the well-being of those students is with the
parents. We're trying to provide the parents with an additional
tool," said New Bedford Mayor Frederick M. Kalisz Jr.

The testing will be made available to the parents of approximately
7,000 students in grades six through 12. Children enrolled in the
program by their parents will be asked to sign a form acknowledging
their participation and have the right to decline.

A clinician will administer a swab test that will detect alcohol,
marijuana, cocaine, opiates and other drugs. Tests will be conducted
on school property, but parents and students will be notified of the
results by mail and via phone calls placed to their homes, said
program administrator Carl Alves. Students who test positive will be
referred to family counseling. "We're looking at 35 to 40 percent
in the students in our system reporting using some kind of drug
use," Alves said.

While the program is touted by Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey, who proposed
student drug testing in May, the issue has faced harsh criticism.
"The real issue is that the dollars (would be) better spent on
hiring a counselor or someone who can sit down with students, look
them in the eye and find out what the underlying problems are. Drug
testing just lets your students pee in a cup," said Isaac Skelton,
publications director for the Drug Policy Alliance. Civil
libertarians have raised questions about how "voluntary" the
program is when the decision to enroll lies with parents. "There
are a lot more questions to be answered for this program," said
Sarah Wunsch, a Massachusetts ACLU staff attorney.

Alexandra Cioper, a New Bedford High School senior, said students
haven't been given much information on the program."I know some
kids that really don't care because it's not going to affect
them, but there are others who think it's an invasion of
privacy," she said.