SCHOOLS SUPPORT TESTING

Superintendents of neighboring school systems say they believe a
recent move by Fort Payne to begin drug-testing students is a step in
the right direction.

John Mullins, superintendent of the Arab School System, said a
similar policy has served his system well. The Arab system has been
drug-testing student athletes for about 10 years, but expanded this
past year to include students involved in any type of
extracurricular, competitive activity, as well as students who drive to school.

Fort Payne's drug testing policy will also include students who
participate in extracurricular, competitive activities, as well as
student drivers.

Mullins said, "Before we had about 40 percent of students in grades
seven through 12 in the random pool and now we have about 82 percent."

He said the system completed its third round of random testing under
the new system last week. He said, so far this year, 63 Arab students
have been tested and only one has tested positive, for marijuana use.

"We think it's a great deterrent. We realize it's hard for children
sometimes to withstand peer pressure, but when they are likely to be
tested there is a greater opportunity for them to say no," Mullins said.

"Fort Payne and Arab are similar in size and geography. The truth is
we have a drug problem in America and in Alabama and northeast
Alabama may have a bigger problem proportionately than other areas of
the country," Mullins said. "It is a deterrent that has served us
well and I believe it can also serve the Fort Payne system well."

Robert Sparkman, superintendent of the Albertville City School
System, agreed. His system has been randomly testing student athletes
for about four years.

"We have run into no problems with it at all. Our community is very
much in favor and wants us to be very persistent about keeping drugs
out of schools," he said. "It has absolutely been a deterrent for us."

Fort Payne superintendent Jimmy Cunningham said he believes the
drug-testing policy here will also serve as a deterrent.

"To me, this gives [students] an extra out to say no - 'my coach
might find out or my parents might find out,'" Cunningham said. "I
think it gives a student a positive 'no.'"

Last month, the school board unanimously approved moving forward with
developing a drug policy and testing procedure that he said should be
in place by spring.