NJ School to Begin Drug Testing Sixth Graders
SAVIDGE: We have all heard about high schools moving toward random drug testing for students. But on one New Jersey district, they are planning to test kids even younger. CNN's Mary Snow has more.</s>MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The school board Belvedere, New Jersey voted to implement random drug testing for sixth, seventh and eighth graders. It's an extension of a program already being done in the high school. But many are questioning, are these kids too young? A lesson in math conversions is what you might expect in sixth grade. But for these 11-year olds in Belvedere, New Jersey, learning real life lessons may come earlier than most kids in their state. School officials want to randomly test middle schoolers for drugs and alcohol, something that is usually reserved for high school students.</s>SANDRA SZABOCSIK, OXFORD ST. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: When parents call or even when we get anything from the police, it's very general.</s>SNOW: Principal Sandra Szabocsik says she gets calls about weekend parties involving marijuana and alcohol in this small rural community. She can't pinpoint a specific drug problem at her school, but says there are realities that can't be ignored. They include a 2009 drug best in a nearby town involving teachers arrested as part of a ring selling prescription drugs. Szabocsik hopes the random tests will serve as a deterrent in keeping middle schoolers away from drugs and alcohol.</s>SZABOCSIK: I'm hoping that because they know they could be tested come Monday, maybe they'll just say no. I can't do that. I'm afraid and I also look at it as a way they can no to their peers.</s>SNOW: In order to conduct testing, both parents and kids have to agree to participate. We spoke with several parents ready to sign up.</s>CHRISTINA TAURIELLO, PARENT: I think it's great.</s>SNOW (on camera): Why?</s>TAURIELLO: Because the kids you don't know what they are doing, performance enhancement drugs, things like that. Even regular drugs that kids are not as open to come home and tell their parents.</s>SNOW (voice-over): But others question the need to expose kids this young to random tests saying it can backfire.</s>GREG CASTERLINE, PARENT: What's the message being sent to them that there have to be random drug tested? There's a question then about the integrity of every kid.</s>SNOW: The ACLU has been critical of these random drug tests for kids, saying they are not a good civics lesson and they don't deter drug use. But schools involved say they do. In this particular program, if students fail the drug test, they won't be punished. School officials say they will be offered counseling.</s>SAVIDGE: Wow, 2011 has barely begun and some folks are already focusing on the 2012 presidential elections. Some interesting poll numbers out this morning about who is leading the pack in the race to become the next president of the United States. When we come back, details on how President Obama stacks up against potential GOP candidates.