Some parents just say
no to drug testing
at Mid-Pacific
Some parents at Mid-Pacific Institute are trying to block a plan to start testing students for drug use, but officials say they expect the voluntary program to begin in January and that anyone who does not like it can opt out.
Coming UpWho: Parents Against Drug TestingWhat: Panel discussion of Mid-Pacific Institute's proposed voluntary drug testing program and alternatives When: Tomorrow, 7-9 p.m. Where: Mid-Pacific Institute, Bakken Auditorium
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The idea got mostly rave reviews when unveiled in late September at a parents' meeting, where it was championed by Prosecutor Peter Carlisle, a Mid-Pac parent, and Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona. But opposition appears to be growing. At an open forum held on campus last week, some parents expressed concerns about student privacy, false positives and whether such testing is needed or appropriate.
"It sounds like you're committed to this. What would it take to change your mind?" asked parent Andy Bumatai, who spoke out strongly against the plan.
"What would it take not to do it?" responded Mid-Pacific President Joe Rice. "Nobody signs up."
Rice said later that the school would not make a final decision until the end of this week, and he was still listening to opinions on the subject. Unless administrators are persuaded otherwise, testing of either urine or saliva would begin on campus in January, he said. An independent laboratory would report individual results to parents, not the school.
"The question that comes to me all the time is, Why are you guys doing this? Is there a real drug problem at Mid-Pac?" high school Principal Rich Schaffer told parents last week. "My answer is, Society has a drug problem. ... Peer pressure is enormous. We've seen some of our best kids go down the tubes because of the 'ice' epidemic."
Schaffer said the program would be part of the school's efforts at prevention and education. Some parents are eager to sign up, seeing testing as a way to help their kids resist pressures to experiment.
"I think it's a good idea," said Mike Fuke, whose son is a junior. "It forces parents to talk to their kids about drugs. It provides kids another tool to address the issue. Even though the parents may talk to their kids a lot, at this high school age, sometimes the peers have more influence than the parents. Whatever tools I can give my child to say no, I think is a good thing."
But parent Karen Corpuz has reservations.
"No. 1 is the privacy issue," she said after the meeting. "No. 2, I'm really saddened that we as a society are used to using fear as a weapon."
Parents E.J. and Lerisa Heroldt are organizing tomorrow's meeting, which will feature medical, legal and academic professionals in the field.
Roughly 1,170 students in grades 6 through 12 at Mid-Pacific would be eligible for testing. The issue is a hot topic on campus and dominates the current issue of the student newspaper, Na Pueo. Interviews with several students revealed mixed feelings.
"My personal opinion is that I don't think it's necessary per se, and I don't think that people who truly have problems are being targeted," said senior Kari Peterson, adding that studies show drug testing in schools to be "completely ineffective" as a deterrent. "I don't see how the school is going to conduct this without people being aware of it. I don't think students should be ostracized."
C.J. Fleischmann, a junior, said he thought voluntary testing was a good idea because it would get parents and students to talk about drugs. But he added: "My parents don't think it's a very good idea. They trust me."
The test would be a standard five-way screen for marijuana, cocaine, opiates, amphetamines and PCP, but not for alcohol because it dissipates quickly. Rice hopes to finance the program through donations from foundations or corporations. Otherwise, the school could use federal Drug-Free Schools money it receives via the state, he said.
