In May it was reported that the Holyoke RE- 1 J School District recorded no student tested positive for drug use after 203 tests were conducted through the school year.

What does that mean? Well, Holyoke Police Chief Philip Biersdorfer said his department has made arrests for meth and marijuana involving teenagers in Holyoke this year. Had they been tested by the school's random drug testing program? We can't tell, because the information about individual students being tested is, naturally, kept secret. But it's obvious that there are teens doing drugs in the small town, regardless of what the school's drug test results say.

There is nothing surprising about this, but it is notable because Cheyenne Mountain School District 12 is considering a random drug-testing program for kids involved in extra-curricular activities. The testing would be limited to those kids because of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling which states that random drug testing cannot be linked with academics. That, acknowledged D-12 Superintendent Walt Cooper, creates a gray area, because some activities traditionally seen as extra-curricular are not, exactly. For instance, drama students or music students whose grades are tied to their participation in stage plays or concerts might not have to participate in a random drugs testing program, depending on which court is reviewing the case. And just about everyone at D-12 assumes that if there is a drug-testing program, eventually there will be a lawsuit.

Here are some frequently asked questions concerning the issue, as listed on D-12's web site: Q: Why implement a random drug testing policy in the Cheyenne Mountain
School District?
A: The Board of Education takes the safety and welfare of our students very
seriously. And, we know from talking with students, parents, and law
enforcement officials that some students at Cheyenne Mountain High School, like
all other high schools, are continuing to make poor choices regarding the use of
alcohol and illegal drugs. In fact, during the 2008-2009 school year, 34 CMHS
students were either suspended or expelled for drug or alcohol use,1 and
conversations this spring with groups of CMHS seniors indicated prevalent use of
marijuana and alcohol among large groups of students outside of school and on
weekends. It is our hope that in addition to parental support and increased alcohol
and drug education, the presence of a random drug testing policy will encourage
students to make better choices regarding drugs, and may provide a strong reason
for our students who want to avoid peer pressure and say “no” to do so.
Q: Why only test students in activities and athletics…why not test all
students?
A: The Supreme Court has ruled that randomly testing all students in a public school
is unconstitutional because it potentially violates their rights to a free public
education. The Court also ruled, however, that students who choose to participate
in activities that are a privilege, and not a right, can be subject to such a
program. While we believe that it would be best if all students could be included
in a random testing program, it simply isn’t allowable by law.

The American Civil Liberties Union has a list of appellate cases involving drug testing.

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