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Schools

Student Alcohol Testing Begins at St. Viator

Students will be randomly selected for the tests, which will show any recent alcohol or drug use.

Amy Johnson, Neighbor
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St. Viator High School started randomly testing students this week to see if they've consumed alcohol in the past three months, The Republic and the Daily Herald report.

The lab results will show if the student has used drugs or alcohol in the past 90 days. The Arlington Heights Catholic school has been testing for drug use since 2007, and students were tested at the beginning of the year for drug use. The alcohol tests are just starting this week.

School officials said they intend to test 10 to 20 students a week by taking 60 stands of their hair. The students will be randomly selected by a computer. Once they are selected, a school official will take their strands of hair. It will be tested at a lab in California, and the results will be back to the school within five days.

The test will show any alcohol use, as well as illegal drug use, such as heroin, ecstasy and more. If the students fail the test, they must meet with their parents and school officials. They then will need to pay for another test in 90 days. If they fail a second test, there could be disciplinary action.

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