| Professional athletes have been in the news a lot | | | | performance-enhancing drugs. |
| over the past few years, either being accused or | | | | Texas schools has a sports program with more |
| admitting to taking performance-enhancing drugs. | | | | than 700,000 participating students more than any |
| Major league baseball has taken several hits with | | | | other state. Dewhursts proposal would cost about |
| accusations being brought against some of their | | | | $2 million annually, which would be provided to the |
| top players, such as home-run king Mark McGwire, | | | | Texas schools through state funding specifically |
| who took the fifth amendment to not incriminate | | | | for the random drug testing program. |
| himself during Congressional questioning on the | | | | Reactions to Dewhursts proposal have been |
| subject. Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants, | | | | mixed within the Texas Schools. A few local |
| Jason Giambi of the New York Yankees, and | | | | school district officials do not believe such testing |
| Olympic sprinter Marion Jones are a few others, | | | | is necessary. Mike Owens, head football coach of |
| who have been accused of taking | | | | Texas schools Robert E. Lee, located in East |
| performance-enhancing drugs. More than 20 | | | | Texas, stated that the cost would not be worth |
| athletes were thrown out of the 2004 Olympic | | | | the outcome, believing that the Texas schools |
| Games for doping violations, and at least two gold | | | | have more of a problem with street drugs, such |
| medal winners forfeited their wins and medals for | | | | as cocaine and marijuana. If the Texas schools |
| using such drugs. | | | | tested for those, he would be all for it; but he |
| The abuse of steroids is most common among | | | | does not believe performance-enhancing drugs are |
| professional athletes and bodybuilders, who feel | | | | that big of a problem within the Texas schools |
| the pressure to win against daunting competition. | | | | athletic programs. He backed up his beliefs by |
| The abuse of steroids has become so prevalent | | | | stating that Texas schools coaches see their |
| that President George W. Bush called upon | | | | athletes daily and would notice a change in |
| professional athletes, team owners, and coaches | | | | physique and would see the mood swings |
| to stop all players from taking the | | | | associated with such drug abuse. He further |
| performance-enhancing drugs. Though the effects | | | | suggested the money would be better spent on |
| of long-term use of steroids is enough to cause | | | | education about the misuse of such drugs. |
| concern with often permanent and dangerous | | | | Some Texas schools already do random drug |
| physical and emotional effects, it has been shown | | | | testing with their athletes. Lindale, Chapel Hill and |
| that teen athletes now are using steroids at an | | | | Whitehouse are three such Texas schools |
| alarming rate to the point that it has the attention | | | | districts, though Chapel Hill does not test for |
| of Congress and the President of the United | | | | steroids. Not only do they believe the random |
| States. | | | | testing keeps the athletes clean, but they also |
| Parents, too, are gravely concerned and for good | | | | hope that it gives the students a reason to say |
| reason. A federally funded annual survey of teens | | | | no. |
| drug use by the University of Michigan, called | | | | Texas schools student athletes had the most |
| Monitoring the Future, showed that in 2002 three | | | | surprising reaction to Dewhursts proposal. Many |
| percent of high school seniors had reportedly | | | | said they would not mind being tested. They |
| taken steroids at least once. Other sources report | | | | know that such drugs makes for an uneven |
| that as many as five percent of teens between | | | | playing field and would like to keep their Texas |
| the ages of 12 and 17 have taken it. That is 1.1 | | | | schools athletic programs clean. There always is |
| million of our children across the nation. | | | | the temptation to use performance-enhancing |
| Texas Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst | | | | drugs to gain strength and bulk in order to get |
| wants all Texas schools athletes to be the | | | | the advantage over your competition. It has |
| cleanest athletes in the nation and is proposing | | | | become especially tempting, knowing that so |
| that all Texas schools athletes be randomly | | | | many professional athletes has used them. |
| tested for steroids and other | | | | |