CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Franklin Crabtree believes random drug tests might discourage a high school student from participation in sports or other after-school activities, which could hurt their chances of getting into college.

Jack Wiseman says students should face consequences when they break the rules.

Anti-drug testing advocates like Crabtree, executive director for the American Civil Liberties Union of West Virginia, say drug testing high school students poses plenty of pitfalls that area educators should consider.

Area school board members say the tests are simply meant to attack the "menace" of drug use in schools. "It's pretty simple to me: They follow the rules," said Wiseman, a Jackson County school board member.

The Jackson County Board of Education might soon join Cabell County in drug testing students who drive to school or participate in sports or other extracurricular activities.

Other West Virginia counties have other policies. Putnam County, for instance, offers a voluntary drug-testing program that rewards students with movie discounts and restaurant certificates for signing up.

"It sounds great on the face of it," said Marsha Rosenbaum of the national Drug Policy Alliance. "What we all want, what we're all striving for, is our teenagers to stay away from intoxicating substances."

The Drug Policy Alliance promotes policy alternatives to the drug war that are grounded in science, health and human rights, according to its Web site.

Rosenbaum said random tests create a cynicism in teenagers at a time when they learn American civics. "This is anything but innocent until proven guilty," she said.

She and Crabtree posed several arguments against student drug testing.

"Education is strapped for funds," Rosenbaum said. "We can't get teachers because the salaries are too low." She asked why not put funds for drug testing toward hiring strong school counselors familiar with the issues that students face.

More after-school programs could also help, Rosenbaum said. Research shows most high school students use drugs between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., when parents are at work, she said.

"What about really good drug education instead of spending the dollars on a quick fix that may not even be a quick fix?" she asked.

Cabell County school board President Ted Barr expects the school system's drug testing program to cost about $27,000 to $30,000 this year. Tests will look for about 10 substances, which include marijuana and alcohol. A single test averages about $27, he said.

Rosenbaum sees problems with testing for alcohol. "You could tie one on Friday night or even Saturday night and it doesn't show up on [a test] Monday," she said.

Last week, hundreds of students set to attend Huntington and Cabell Midland high schools showed up at mandatory orientation for drug testing. Students who drive to school, have a parking pass, play sports or are involved in the band or other extracurricular activities must submit to random testing.

Barr said several parents also voluntarily signed children up for drug tests. Those are students who would otherwise be exempt because they don't drive to school or get involved in school activities.

"All in all, it looks like that's a majority of the parents who are backing it," Barr said. "I'd love to see us do a random testing of all students, but state law prohibits it."

In 2009, Barr said middle school students would also be tested. The testing is done by Sport Safe Testing Service, a company based in Powell, Ohio.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Franklin Crabtree believes random drug tests might discourage a high school student from participation in sports or other after-school activities, which could hurt their chances of getting into college.

Jack Wiseman says students should face consequences when they break the rules.

Anti-drug testing advocates like Crabtree, executive director for the American Civil Liberties Union of West Virginia, say drug testing high school students poses plenty of pitfalls that area educators should consider.

Area school board members say the tests are simply meant to attack the "menace" of drug use in schools. "It's pretty simple to me: They follow the rules," said Wiseman, a Jackson County school board member.

The Jackson County Board of Education might soon join Cabell County in drug testing students who drive to school or participate in sports or other extracurricular activities.

Other West Virginia counties have other policies. Putnam County, for instance, offers a voluntary drug-testing program that rewards students with movie discounts and restaurant certificates for signing up.

"It sounds great on the face of it," said Marsha Rosenbaum of the national Drug Policy Alliance. "What we all want, what we're all striving for, is our teenagers to stay away from intoxicating substances."

The Drug Policy Alliance promotes policy alternatives to the drug war that are grounded in science, health and human rights, according to its Web site.

Rosenbaum said random tests create a cynicism in teenagers at a time when they learn American civics. "This is anything but innocent until proven guilty," she said.

She and Crabtree posed several arguments against student drug testing.

"Education is strapped for funds," Rosenbaum said. "We can't get teachers because the salaries are too low." She asked why not put funds for drug testing toward hiring strong school counselors familiar with the issues that students face.

More after-school programs could also help, Rosenbaum said. Research shows most high school students use drugs between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., when parents are at work, she said.

"What about really good drug education instead of spending the dollars on a quick fix that may not even be a quick fix?" she asked.

Cabell County school board President Ted Barr expects the school system's drug testing program to cost about $27,000 to $30,000 this year. Tests will look for about 10 substances, which include marijuana and alcohol. A single test averages about $27, he said.

Rosenbaum sees problems with testing for alcohol. "You could tie one on Friday night or even Saturday night and it doesn't show up on [a test] Monday," she said.

Last week, hundreds of students set to attend Huntington and Cabell Midland high schools showed up at mandatory orientation for drug testing. Students who drive to school, have a parking pass, play sports or are involved in the band or other extracurricular activities must submit to random testing.

Barr said several parents also voluntarily signed children up for drug tests. Those are students who would otherwise be exempt because they don't drive to school or get involved in school activities.

"All in all, it looks like that's a majority of the parents who are backing it," Barr said. "I'd love to see us do a random testing of all students, but state law prohibits it."

In 2009, Barr said middle school students would also be tested. The testing is done by Sport Safe Testing Service, a company based in Powell, Ohio.

Rosenbaum said drug testing erodes relationships between parents and children and teachers and students.

"For some kids, the idea of having an invasive procedure is horribly embarrassing," she said. "The reality is that the cheapest way to do this continues to be a urine test."

She said if a student takes an antidepressant, or a prescription drug like Ritalin, they might be embarrassed that the information would be revealed.

In Jackson County, Wiseman said parents, the coach, the principal and the student would know about the alleged drug use. For first offenders, the intention is to offer help, and not severely punish or kick a student-athlete off the team, Wiseman said.

Jackson County officials suspect mostly marijuana use at Ripley and Ravenswood high schools, Wiseman said. Still, a few Jackson students have died from drug overdoses in recent years, he said.

"When we talk about saving one kid, it's worth it," he said.

Wiseman expects the county will also drug test students who participate in Future Farmers of America and other activities.

"It's basically suspicion-less search, is what it boils down to," Crabtree said. "There's a coercive element to it that's really objectionable."

If students figure out which drugs their peers get caught using, they might switch to using another drug, Rosenbaum said.

"You can never test the smorgasbord of what is available to a kid," Crabtree said.

Barr, a former police officer and sheriff, disagrees with critics.

He said in the 1800s, a group of people argued that the first lifeboats on ocean liners would give captains a false sense of security.

"They said the same thing about fingerprints and everything else," he said. "All those things can be proven to the contrary, I believe."

Barr said he is very proud to contribute to a policy that will help "control a menace that is destroying our society." Cabell students will be drug tested starting this fall. He first pushed for testing about 18 months ago, after a meeting where eight students faced expulsion for drug-related reasons.

"Here's the good thing: It gives a kid a chance to save face," Barr said about peer pressure. "It gives that student that chance to say no, without losing face, so to speak."

Likewise, Wiseman does not take much stock in the arguments against student drug tests.

"I think we've got such a problem that those things don't bother me," he said. Jackson school board members will vote this month on whether to approve random testing for the fall.

Rosenbaum cited a 2003 University of Michigan study that found virtually no difference in rates of teen drug use between schools with drug testing programs and those without.

"If you're interested in tackling a complex issue, you have to have complex solutions," she said.

Reach Davin White at davinwh...@wvgazette.com">davinwh...@wvgazette.com or 348-1254.