Summit on random drug testing in school

(New Jersey - WABC, February 27, 2007) (WABC) -- Does random drug testing of students work? That question was debated around the country today, including in Newark, New Jersey. It's a series of "drug summits."

And yes, random drug testing does seem to cut drug use. But at what cost? Some critics say students lose their civil rights.

As of this school year, most students at Secaucus High School could face random drug testing at any time.

"In a sense, this is an invasion of privacy ... at the same time you want to keep the kids off of drugs," student Nicholas Domercand said.

"I don't think it should bother anyone as long as you're clean," student Tiffany Gomez said.

The drug testing policy in Secaucus covers some 75 percent of students. Through randomly chosen student ID numbers, they can face an alcohol breath test or a urine sample for drugs.

"Students that are tested belong to any of our athletic teams, any of our school clubs, any student on campus ... as well as students whose parents have volunteered with the program," said Principal Patrick Impreveduto.

A meeting today of New Jersey educators was billed as a federal drug summit to promote a program that offers funding for school-based drug testing.

"The federal program supports about 500 schools, but we know of an additional 500 that started at federal money," said White House Drug Policy Advisor Dr. Bertha Madras.

Christina Steffner has supervised federal testing as a high school principal.

"We just gave them reasons to say no so it allowed us to use peer pressure in reverse," she said.

William Sciambi and other parents in Pittstown, New Jersey recently voted down random drug testing.

"What you're doing is asking students to provide a urine sample in order to prove their innocent," Sciambi said.

The White House drug czar says this initiative is not approved but federally mandating random drug testing of students.

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