CRITICS PAN HART DRUG TESTING

Officials Claim Program Will Offer Prevention Benefits

Plans for a voluntary random drug testing program for Hart district
students were met with criticism Wednesday night as some board
members expressed concern that the program would not deter teens from
using drugs.

"People actually doing (drugs) are not going to sign up for it," said
Paul Strickland, William S. Hart Union High School District board member.

Strickland views drugs as part of the environment of SCV teens.

"We are living with a situation where an Olympic hero who just won
eight gold medals is on YouTube with a bong," he said, referring to
swimmer Michael Phelps.

District officials, including Superintendent Jaime Castellanos, view
a voluntary random drug testing program as a deterrent for students
and drug use.

"We believe the program gives students a way to say no," said Darryl
Adams, director of human resources. Other board members Wednesday
considered the program a benefit in initiating conversations about
drugs between parents and students.

"I see this program as really supporting the parents," said board
member Gloria Mercado-Fortine.

By 7:45 p.m., the board members had not voted on whether to initiate
the program.

The drug testing program comes as the Hart district has seen a
significant increase in the number of expulsions and suspensions
related to student drugs and alcohol use, said Superintendent Jaime
Castellanos.

The most common drugs among the local youth are marijuana and
prescription drugs.

Students who take part in the drug testing program must sign a
permission slip with their parents. If a test comes back positive for
drugs, parents can do nothing, find help for their student on their
own or talk to a school counselor.

The program would start at all of the Hart district junior high and
high schools with a pilot program from March through May.

Funding comes from a $216,000 Department of Education grant for the
2008-09, 2009-10 and 2011-12 school years. No district money would be
used for the program.

Drug test results stay between the third-party drug company and the
parents and school officials are kept out of the findings.