Trinity High to begin random drug testing

Trinity High School plans to start random drug and alcohol testing of its students next school year, saying the tests will help students ward off peer pressure.

"No single incident led us to this decision, but we recognize that every high school student faces tremendous pressure in these changing and challenging times," President Robert Mullen wrote in a letter that went out to parents and was posted on the school's website.

He said Trinity will join "a growing list of Catholic schools across the country" to conduct random drug and alcohol tests.

The 1,200-plus student all-boys school, 4011 Shelbyville Road in Louisville, said it is partnering with Psychemedics Corp. to detect drugs or alcohol through tests of students' hair.

The school assured parents that the tests will not appear on a student's permanent record. It said that for the first positive test, school administrators will encourage parents and students to use community resources "to intercede in this poor decision-making. During this phase of drug-testing, no school consequences will occur."

However, a second positive test could result in dismissal, the school said, if the student and family have taken no action since the first positive drug test.

"Our primary motive for adding this testing program is to empower our students with the ability to say: 'I can't. My school tests,' " Mullen wrote, noting that substance abuse often begins with casual use during teen years.

Trinity students had mixed reactions to the news Tuesday, with some taking to Twitter to applaud the school for protecting students while others railed against the invasion of privacy.

Seth Hinkle, 16, a junior, said he'd heard for years that Trinity was considering random drug testing, so the news didn't come as a huge shock.

"I'm proud of Trinity for taking a stand while other private schools are afraid to take a stand for students' health and well-being," Seth said. While he said there are some privacy concerns, he said that students make a "sacrifice to go to a school as prestigious at Trinity."

"It'll be interesting, I'll tell you that," he added of the new policy.

Trinity's announcement comes only months after the American Academy of Pediatrics reaffirmed its stance against random drug testing in schools, saying there's little evidence such testing works.

The academy called random drug testing "controversial," saying that while proponents tout potential advantages such as students avoiding drug use for fear of being caught, there are also potential pitfalls, such as deterioration in the student-school relationship, issues with confidentiality of student medical records and mistakes in interpreting results.

"Pediatricians support the development of effective substance abuse services in schools, along with appropriate referral policies ... for adolescents struggling with substance abuse disorders," the academy said in a statement.

In Louisville and surrounding areas, random drug and alcohol testing of students is not common, although different organizations have different policies.

Jefferson County Public Schools does not do random drug testing of students, not even athletes, spokeswoman Helene Kramer said.

Oldham County Schools does not randomly drug test all students, but has for years done random drug testing of students involved in competitive extracurricular activities such as sports or band, said Tracy Harris Green, a spokeswoman. In addition, she said, Oldham parents can voluntarily opt their child in for random drug testing.

In Indiana, Our Lady of Providence Junior-Senior High School in Clarksville began random drug testing last school year, principal Mindy Ernstberger said. Every student in grades nine through 12 is hair-tested twice a year, and the school can test a student a third time if deemed necessary. Providence staff had been in talks with Trinity over its drug testing policy, Ernstberger said.

New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corp. does not random drug test its students, but has been considering the possibility in recent months, spokesman Bill Briscoe said.

In the Archdiocese of Louisville, Bethlehem High in Bardstown also does random drug testing, although not random alcohol testing, according to archdiocese spokeswoman Cecelia Price. But she said all archdiocese schools have policies and resources to deal with drug and alcohol use and may do testing when needed.

The archdiocese applauded Trinity's decision in a press release Tuesday, saying that it's a "powerful testament to the school's concern about the well-being and health of students."

It's unclear how much Trinity is paying to do the random drug tests. It is holding media interviews on Wednesday, with a spokeswoman for the school declining to give further details until then.

Reporter Allison Ross can be reached at (502) 582-4241. Follow me on Twitter at @allisonSross. Reporter Kirsten Clark contributed to this report.