Letters-April 12, 2007

Drug testing sends

wrong message
To the editor:
   April 12, the South Hunterdon Regional High School Board Policy Committee will meet to consider and vote to approve a proposed policy to implement a "voluntary" random drug testing program for students choosing to participate in extracurricular activities.
   While the intentions of the policy board are noble and commendable, the policy as written will send the wrong civic message to our children.
   As the board well knows, they cannot implement a mandatory random drug testing program since it violates the 4th amendment to our Constitution — unreasonable search and seizure.
   Only those students who voluntarily relinquish these Constitutional rights are permitted to participate in a random drug testing policy. So our creative board has fashioned this policy into a "voluntary" policy by requiring the students to choose between retaining their protected right or giving up that right to participate in extracurricular activities.
   Board members, is it truly your intentions to require students to place extracurricular activities above Constitutional rights? And those students who choose to value their rights above participation in extracurriculars, are you truly going to deny them the pleasures and personal growth opportunities associated with the extracurriculars?
   Please reconsider the structure of this policy. Don’t make our children choose between their Constitutional rights and extracurriculars.

Manor grateful

for support
To the editor:
   The Foundation at the Manor and all the residents at Neshaminy Manor would like to extend our sincere thanks to all the people throughout our community who so generously donated their time, talents and donated goods to our Brunch Benefit for Gardens at the Manor.
   Special thanks to Jim Hamilton, Mark Miller, employees at Hamilton’s Grill in Lambertville, volunteers from Neshaminy Manor and to everyone that attended.
   Once again, we thank all those involved for their generosity and hard work.

Birdhouse benefit

had much support
To the editor:
   New Hope Arts Inc. and 5th Season wishes to offer their heartfelt thanks for all who contributed to the amazing bird auction to benefit the center.
   Thanks to all the shops and galleries who displayed the birdhouses prior to the auction, including Bliss, A Stage in Time, Starbucks, Susie Hot Sauce, Topeo Gallery, Cockamamies, Gratz Gallery, Artists’ Gallery, A Beautiful Life, Heart of the Home, J&W Gallery and Sidetracks Gallery.
   More kudos to an extraordinary auctioneer, Larry Keller, and musicians, the New Impressionists, who so often volunteer to help New Hope Arts Inc.
   Bravos to all the volunteer chefs and restaurants who provided such beautiful food, including The Landing, The Stockton Inn, Hamilton’s Grill Room, John & Peter’s, El Taco Loco, John Larsen, Elaine Daniels, Laurie Terp, Wegman’s, Bridgewater, N.J., Leslie Crilley, The Café at Rosemont, Katia McGuirk, Robin Elliott, The Carversville’s General Store, Bob Hobbs, Havana, DeeDee Bowman, Wendy and Harry Gordon, Walker’s Wine & Spirits, Paper Plate, Starbucks, Kevin and Pauline Forest and Libby Nieburg and to Giant Market, who provided paper products.
   Also a round of applause to our young servers from the Downtown Performing Arts Center, who help with so many of our events.
   And a standing ovation to all the contributors who created such beautiful birdhouses — Addison Wolfe, AKA Salon, Colleen Attara, Bazaar Glass, Bette Baer, Sherry Baker, Connie Barna of 1st Federal Bank, Ray Founce 3 of the BC3D Sculpture Club, Jane Sheppard Bean, Samantha Bellucci, Nancy Bently, Bliss, James Betts, Ron Bevilacqua, Beatrice Bork, Artists’ Gallery, Ernie Bowman and Gail Bracegirdle.
   Also, Jim Briggs, Brillman’s Nursery, Bucks County Playhouse, Bucks Magazine, Marilyn Bullock, Jennifer Cadoff, Carousel Farms, Louise Caskie, C. Belle Boogie, Andrew Chai, Merle Citron, Angie Cleary, Starbucks New Hope, Dory Coffee, Jennifer Cole Art Ho, Colleen Connolly, Diana Contine, Leslie Crilley, Angela DaBattisle, Elaine Daniels, Marc Deasy, Melissa Diaz, David Duthie III, Harriet Eisenberg, Rose Esposito and James Feehan.
   Also, Austin, Evan and Dee Fell, Andrea Giovino, David Goodland, Patricia Goodrich, Olivia Imoraino, Kevin Forest, Ronah Gabell, Connie Gaughan, Harry Gordon, Wendy Gordon, Rick Gould, Linda Grady, Paul Gratz, Lynn Greene, Gordon Haas, Tim Muth, Jim Hamilton, Rich Harrington, Lila Hertz, Hotel du Village, Inn at Stoney Hill, Betty Jacobson, Brian Jauch, Jen Johnson, Gary and Cheryl Karcher and Charles Katzenback.
   Also, Yvonne Love, Elizabeth McCue, Sue Kauflie, Joe Kazimierczyk, Candace Kemo, Liz Klakowicz, Alan J. Klawans, Sean Korman, Joy Kreves, Barb Krier, Don LaJeunesse, Patrice LaJeunesse, Kim Lancaster, Sara Lancaster, Kara Lang, Tommy Langevin, Sheila Letvan, Nora Lewis, Christine and George McHugh, Katia McGuirk, Magic Glass Studio, Betty Male, Kaley Maltz, Donna Marie Marvulli, Marzulla family, Eric Medina and Sonja M.S. Michaluk.
   Also, Michener Art Museum, Pam Milller, Kathy Mlynarski, Florence Moonan, Danielle Moore, Paul Murphy, New Hope Historical Society, New Hope Auto Show, Lisa James Otto, Taylor Oughten, Stephen Paloviak, Charlie Pellegrino, Penny Hill Mix, Alla Podolsky, the Pod Shop, Miss Pumpkin, Phillip Powell, Christine and Dan Ramirez, Brian Rauch, Joe Reed, Cynthia D. Reese, Riverside Symphonia and Joel Roberts.
   Also, David Robinson, J. Stacey Rogers, Susan Roseman, Riverbank Arts, Roxey Ballet Company, Melissa Russell, Ed Ryan, Carol Sanzalone, Scott Schead, Emily Schroeter, Nancy Shill, Dave Singer, Ed Smizer, Stacey Speer Scott, Catherine "Cie" Stroud, Terry Tatto, George Terp, Leah K. Tomaino, John Treichler and Andrea Umstetter.
   Also, Annelies Van Dommelen, Ben Vieytes, John Vollaro, Melissa Wagner, Denise Warren, Ashley Watkins, Jamie White and Andrew Wilkinson.
   More kudos to the spirited bidders who once again demonstrated what a magical community we live in.
   And finally to all the volunteers who worked behind the scenes to make it all work — Leslie Crilley, Joan Arkuszewski, Marilyn Bullock, DeeDee Bowman, Deborah Lang, Elaine Daniels, Robin Elliott, Katia McGuirk, Wendy Gordon, George Terp, Donna Hurwitz, Lita Colligan, Dani Antman, Joanne Roberts, Meredith Crilley, Joe Crilley, Ellie McGuirk, Paul Mirowski, Rolland van Dommlen and to Christine Ramirez and Laurie Terp of New Hope Arts.
   This was a tremendous success. Thanks to you all.

Address drug use

in other ways
To the editor:
   I am writing in response to Lisa Brady’s letter of April 5 in The Beacon.
   I am writing to clarify several points and to, again, state my objections to the suspicion-less drug testing policy proposed for South Hunterdon High School.
   Ms. Brady stated it is untrue suspicion-less drug testing is a violation of students’ rights because the United States Supreme Court and the New Jersey State Supreme Court have ruled on this issue.
   The fact is the court has found that, in certain circumstances, drug testing can be allowed although the court also has cautioned this decision not be construed as a blanket endorsement of suspicion-less drug testing, and each district and policy will need to be reviewed on its merits.
   The proposed policy at South requires only those students involved in extracurricular activities be targeted for random and suspicion-less drug testing, not because these children are any more likely to use drugs, but, solely, because it can be argued that, by virtue of their participation in extracurricular activities, they are voluntarily giving up their constitutional rights to privacy and protection from unreasonable search and seizure.
   However, just minutes across the Delaware River, random and suspicion-less drug testing of students, even those in extracurricular activities, was not found to be legal or constitutional.
   The Pennsylvania Supreme Court agreed with Justice Ginsburg, who wrote the dissenting opinion in one of the Supreme Court cases, that extracurricular activities are not voluntary, but are "a key component of student life" and are "essential in reality" for students with aspirations for college.
   Students involved in extracurricular activities are not immune to peer pressure to use drugs, but targeting students who are less likely to be using drugs in the first place, as noted by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and as substantiated by national data on students, is singling out students who may simply enjoy chess or Spanish club or soccer and forcing them to choose between their civil rights and their interests while not forcing the same choice on others.
   What are we teaching our children? That the school can help you with the hard choices of life while your parents, even if they are "wonderful," will turn a "blind eye"?
   Some parents — wonderful or otherwise — may prefer to address the complex issue of drug use in other ways. My husband and I would prefer to help our sons make healthy lifestyle choices that will last beyond high school and mandatory drug testing to college and adult life.
   Let’s really think about what we want to teach our children. I end with a quote from Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the opinion of three other Supreme Court Justices in their dissent regarding suspicion-less drug testing:
   "[S]chools tutelary obligations to their students require them to "teach by example" by avoiding symbolic measures that diminish constitutional protections. That [schools] are educating the young for citizenship is reason for scrupulous protection of the Constitutional freedoms of the individual, if we are not to strangle the free mind at its source and teach youth to discount important principles of our government as mere platitudes."
   Please attend the school board meeting at South Hunterdon on April 12.