Los Gatos Weekly-Times

High school board will consider testing of student athletes, others

LGHS administration points to Dixon, Calif., as role model

July date expected for debate

By Clarence Cromwell

Just a month ago, a CASA drug survey alarmed educators with results indicating higher than average drug use at Los Gatos High School.

Now, district officials are touting a proposal to crack down hard on student drug use with random drug-testing at Los Gatos and Saratoga high schools, a plan that probably will mean tests for all students involved in extracurricular activities, said Los Gatos assistant principal Craig Heimbichner.

"Initially, it would start with athletes, but the goal would be to test anyone representing the school," Heimbichner said.

LGHS already uses a drug dog to flush out students who carry narcotics on campus, but the tests would detect use of marijuana--the most popular drug among students--for up to 30 days after ingestion.

Heimbichner said since athletes take a no-drugs pledge, he sees no conflict in testing for drugs that may have been consumed off campus on students' own time. The fact that athletes are role models for other students justifies the testing, he said.

"If you ask if there's a conflict there, I'd say no," Heimbichner said.

But that standard probably wouldn't be extended to all students, Heimbichner said. "In general, we're here to keep the campus safe," he said. "Off campus ... it has to be between the students and their parents. We're not going to wave a magic wand and solve the community's problems."

The high school board ordered a study on drug testing at the beginning of the school year, after a group of parents demanded random tests for football players. At the time, board members said they eventually wanted to see a districtwide policy on drug testing.

Los Gatos football coach Butch Cattolico's no-drugs pledge hasn't been enough to keep some football players clean in recent years, he said.

The committee, made up of parents, teachers and administrators, concluded that random testing would be the best solution. The committee will propose a program modeled on the drug-testing program at schools in Dixon, Calif.

But the committee must convince the trustees to budget money for the program. School employees would be paid to administer the tests, and eventually the district would have to buy testing materials. Initially, the testing supplies may be free because companies are currently giving them away to build up a base of customers.

Cattolico said he's recommended that tests be mandatory for all students involved in extracurricular activities. In Dixon, school officials test only the athletes.

The decision is expected to go before the trustees in July.

Saratoga officials have had no input on the proposal because the committee only included parents and administrators from Los Gatos High School.

Saratoga High School Principal Kevin Skelly was not available for comment at press time.

[ Back to Contents Page | Los Gatos Weekly-Times Home Page | Archives ]