NEWS
Drug testing policy committee will present proposal Monday
Thursday, April 1, 2004
By Christopher Boehm News Reporter
On Monday, a committee, which was formed to produce a drug testing policy for extracurricular events, will present its proposal in an open forum at 7 p.m. in the San Marcos High School auditorium. Committee members range from school board members and principals in the high school and junior high level to the high school football team doctor and the junior class president. The proposal calls for mandatory random drug testing on students who participate in extracurricular activities in grades seven through 12. As these events are considered a privilege, the U.S. Supreme Court has determined this as a legal practice. Schools nationwide already have similar policies in practice. “We clearly have a problem, and this is something that is necessary and should help with that problem,” said Steven Van Nest, committee head and SMHS assistant principal. “This gives the fence sitters who fall victim to peer pressure a reason to say ‘no.’” Barrie Breed, San Marcos Consolodated Independent School District Board of Trustees president, is also supporting the proposal. “I’ve spoken with many parents and students, and there is definitely a lot of drug use
going on in schools,” Breed said. “Things are still being tweaked, such as where the funds will be coming from, but in general I agree with the testing.” Van Nest and his committee, which was formed in December, will outline their proposal to the public, followed by a session open to express opinions and ask ques-
2005 school year. The current revision calls for students to be given multiple chances to correct their behavior. “You don’t kick your kid out the first time he or she does something wrong,” Van Nest said. Breed emphasized the purpose of the plan was to aid students, not to punish them. “Zero tolerance sounds
“I think there is a problem, and if there is anything we can do to dissuade students from getting involved in drugs we should do it.”
— Joe Castillo vice president, SMCISD Board of Trustees tions. Also in attendance will be an expert whose private company does drug testing for Dell. “It’s the future,” Van Nest said. “Many companies are already bidding on doing the testing for us.” The committee, having received this feedback, will revise the proposal for its vote on April 19 by the SMCISD Board of Trustees. “I think there is a problem, and if there is anything we can do to dissuade students from getting involved in drugs we should do it,” said Joe Castillo, SMCISD Board of Trustees vice president. If passed, the new policy will take effect in late August or September, sometime during the beginning of the 2004-
good, but one mistake and a kid is on the streets,” she said. “We want to help these kids, and sometimes they need our help.” Opposition has been expressed, mostly by those feeling the policy is unconstitutional, such as Castillo. “A lot of people have concerns about infringing on privacy issues and that is driving the opposition,” Castillo said. In regard to the legal issues, Van Nest stated the Supreme Court has already given the OK on the subject, making it a moot point. The process of testing will be one of total confidentiality. “No law enforcement agencies are informed of the results and it doesn’t go on students’ permanent records,” he said.
“It’s only between the students, their parents and any coaches or teachers in charge of extracurricular activities.” In preparation for the open forum and subsequent vote, the committee has been putting together a survey on the public’s view of the drug problem among students. Teachers at the high school completed surveys on campus, with 83 percent feeling the school has an extremely serious or pretty serious drug problem. Parents filled out surveys at March 23’s parent community day, voting 77 percent “extremely or pretty serious.” On the issue of drug testing, 75 percent of teachers and 68 percent of parents were in favor of it. Student survey results are not yet compiled. “The (high) school took 10 minutes out of English classes on Tuesday so students could complete the surveys,” Van Nest said. “We are currently working on getting the results to those.” The committee is taking a proactive approach to the problem. Van Nest cites athletes getting caught up in drugs and being unable to beat the problem as reasons for taking this direction. “We’ve never had a student come back to the (football) team after a drug suspension,” he said. “The committee wanted to stop it before it starts and we kept coming back to drug testing as the answer.”
ELECTION: Some ASG Senate seats head for special election during its next meeting g Cont. from page 1
year’s ballot. The bus service fee increase won by 68.8 percent, the environmental fee won by 82.9 percent and the amendments to ASG constitution won by 75.4 percent. However, the night did not bring good news to everyone. The Graduate College was unable to elect anyone to the Senate because the candidates did not obtain the five vote minimum requirement necessary to win a plurality of the vote. The College of Applied Arts only filled three of four available Senate seats. Applied Arts candidates Shelly Nottingham and Trey Smith tied with 15.2 percent of the vote, but will have to wait until next week to learn the results. According to the ASG Election Code, a special election must be held to decide the contested seat through secret ballot by ASG Senators on Monday night. “I am really looking ahead to the positive changes that will happen next year,” said Jordan Anderson, public administration senior. “I know that Jerry and Chris will do a great job and Texas State made the right decision by electing them.” George Restivo, history senior, who distributed fliers against Parker and ran an
“I am really looking ahead to the positive changes that will happen next year. I know that Jerry and Chris will do a great job and Texas State made the right decision by electing them.”
— Jordan Anderson Public administration senior ad in The University Star that read “Just Say No to Jerry Parker for ASG President,” congratulated Parker on his win after the results were announced. “I am glad Mr. Parker won because he was the one with the experience,” Restivo said. “He and his supporters won a hard fought campaign and they deserved it.” Restivo said he campaigned against Parker because of a bad experience he had while working with Parker and other stu-
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dents concerned with bringing back an American Sign Language program back to campus after it was canceled in the summer of 2001. Parker said he wanted to bring the ASL program back, but he did not agree with Restivo’s methods. Restivo said he and Parker could not agree on the methods to use to reinstate the program. “I am abrasive sometimes, but it is how I get things done,” Restivo said. “If things don’t happen, I start using a carrot and stick approach.” Restivo said he campaigned against Parker to help bring awareness to the ASL issue. “There was mud slinging (in the campaign), but I was just trying to get the issue out any way I could,” he said. “I hope we can burry the hatchet and continue to work to bring back ASL classes.” Parker said he wants to move past the negativity and welcomes the opportunity to work with Restivo in finding ways to bring ASL back to Texas State. “In my newly-elected position, I would like to work with people like Mr. Restivo and move past this,” he said. “The ASG needs to work with all students to address their concerns. We want to work on bringing ASL back. We just need to find some alternative ways to implement it.”
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News Briefs
The University Star - 3
Lawmakers pass amendment banning same-sex marriage
Nuclear companies seek license to build more plants
ATLANTA — Georgia’s House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, ensuring the question will be put before voters on the November ballot. The 122-52 vote came after weeks of tension in the state Legislature. In its first consideration of the ban, the majority of the Democrat-controlled House voted in favor of the measure, but it fell three votes short of the two-thirds required for passage. On Wednesday, four Democratic members of the Legislature’s Black Caucus provided the additional votes needed to pass the amendment, putting their social conservative beliefs ahead of party loyalty. “We’ve very gratified that in the final analysis, the members of the Black Caucus broke away and voted their conscience,” said Sadie Fields, state chairwoman of the Christian Coalition of Georgia. “They had time to reflect on the impact of this vote. If Georgia could not hold the line, being a Southern state, I think we could have seen homosexual unions around the country.”
A coalition of nuclearindustry companies plans to commit more than $35 million to apply jointly for the first new nuclear power plant license in decades. With electricity demand on the rise, natural gas prices soaring and concern growing over the environmental effects of carbon emissions from coal and natural gas, utilities are trying to pave the way to eventually replace aging nuclear plants with new nuclear facilities. Energy experts and utility executives say advanced designs of nuclear plants offer promising potential for nuclear energy — improved safety, stable fuel prices, lower production costs and less of an environmental impact than other fuels that generate electricity. “We all have a common goal in that we want to preserve the nuclear option,” said Marilyn Kray, vice president of project development for Exelon Nuclear, a subsidiary of one of the consortium’s members and the company taking the lead for the consortium.
Kerry’s surgery goes smoothly
BOSTON — John F. Kerry sailed smoothly through surgery to repair his injured right shoulder Wednesday afternoon, the first of four days he will spend away from the presidential campaign trail. Kerry plans to meet with aides and advisers over the next three days to plot strategy. The Massachusetts senator’s surgeon told reporters that Kerry will be ready to resume campaigning almost immediately, although he may have to go easy on pumping hands for a time and won’t be ready “for months” to engage in a favorite pastime — tossing a football or baseball with his aides. Kerry carried on as usual in the hours before the surgery to repair a torn tendon. He flew into Boston overnight after a gala fund-raiser in Beverly Hills, Calif., spoke to building trade workers by satellite Wednesday morning and then met with unemployed workers in Brighton.
FDA to allow ‘qualified’ health claims on labels
WASHINGTON — For the first time, the Food and Drug Administration has formally allowed producers of a food to advertise health claims that are based on promising, but not conclusive, scientific testing. The recipient of the agency’s first approval of a “qualified” health claim is the walnut, which can now be promoted as helpful in warding off heart disease. Similar health claims for others nuts are being reviewed, and FDA officials said they will be acted on soon. Lester Crawford, acting FDA commissioner, said the “qualified” health claims will allow consumers to learn about possible health and nutrition benefits from foods as the science unfolds. “By putting credible, science-based information in the hands of consumers, FDA hopes to foster competition based on the real nutritional values of the foods, rather than on portion size or bogus and unreliable claims,” Crawford said. Briefs are from wire reports.
Catholic Bobcats
You are invited to our Lenten Penance Service (Confession) All priests are from different campus ministries
7:00 p.m. Thursday, April 1, 2004
At The Catholic Student Center (Next to Rother’s Bookstore) Any Questions call: 512-392-5925