St. Michael's High School is going forward with random drug testing of students using hair samples in fall 2012.

Principal Sam Govea made that announcement during a parental forum the school hosted at its Siringo Road campus early Wednesday morning.

About 15 parents attended the meeting, and based on the comments some made, opinions regarding the policy remain divided.

Earlier this month, the private Catholic school, which serves about 700 students in grades seven through 12, notified parents that it was considering enacting a drug-testing policy. Parents immediately posted comments on the school's Facebook page, some supporting the plan and others criticizing it.

During Wednesday's 7:30 a.m. meeting, Govea said the policy will become effective next semester, and that the school is altering some of its original thoughts regarding the plan. He said the policy will be called "random +" -- with the + sign emphasizing education, intervention and support for students who test positive for drugs the first time.

He added that the school is talking with staff and faculty members about the possibility of testing employees as well.

Students will be chosen at random based on a drawing of their student identification cards. The school hopes to test up to 15 percent of the student body each year. Each test will cost $39. In the case of a positive result, the school will pay for a second follow-up test 100 days later, and for any re-tests that students or parents request. This cost will not lead to an increase in tuition, Govea said Wednesday.

Hair samples will be taken by either Govea or one of his vice principals, all of whom will be trained by the Psychemedics Corp., based in Culver City, Calif. Psychemedics will receive the hair samples via FedEx and test them quickly.

According to its website, Psychemedics has received FDA clearance to perform drug tests with both head and body hair. Such tests show the presence of cocaine, marijuana, opiates, methamphetamine and phencyclidine (PCP). They do not test for alcohol, however.

George Elder, who heads the educational component of Psychemedics, was on hand Wednesday to speak to the St. Michael's assembly about the science of the tests. Elder said Psychemedics' lab technicians have never reported a false positive result that incorrectly identified someone as a drug user.

He reiterated that the lab will never receive a student's name, only about 50 milligrams of hair strands -- "about the tip of your shoe string." Body hair, taken from the arms or legs, can be used if a student is bald.

St. Michael's will receive either a negative or "test in progress" result within 24 hours for each student, he said. The "test in progress" could still come up positive, or suggest environmental contamination, meaning the test subject, while not a user, was hanging around with someone who does use drugs.

Though Govea initially said students who test positive twice in a row will be expelled, on Wednesday he explained that the school has rethought that policy. If a second test shows a decrease in use, and the student in question has a solid grade-point average, the school may give that student more time.

Several parents spoke about the policy at Wednesday's meeting.

One mother, who identified herself only as Doris, voiced several concerns to Govea. She said the policy violates privacy rights, overlooks the overall quality and academic achievement of the student, sets a bad tone for the school and will keep troubled students from opening up to counselors for fear they will fall into the random-selection category.

However, she said after the meeting, she would find the policy slightly more acceptable if the school also tests its adult employees.

Another parent, Lisa Vakharia, said she is 100 percent behind the idea. "This will actually set St. Michael's apart from other schools in the community," she said. "This will show the community that we are not sweeping drug problems under the rug. It's good for parents, it's good for students, and it's good for Santa Fe as a whole."

She said critics who argue that the policy contrasts with the school's La Sallian values of acceptance, forgiveness and service to the poor are not up to date: "Times are completely different. ... Those people are not living in the present."

She is for the school testing its employees as well.

One father, who said he was from Mexico, voiced support to Govea, noting that his native country is awash in drugs and drug-related violence. He said he talks with his children about drugs, and they told him that since they don't use, they have nothing to hide at St. Michael's.

And, he said, "If our kids get in trouble [with the test], we have 100 days to fix it."

One mother said her fears were eased when Govea said parents could be present when their child's hair was sampled.

Another father said he is mostly for the policy, but has "fail safe" concerns regarding the possibility of error. He cited the case of an Illinois railroad employee who lost his job over what the man said was a false positive result.

Another parent asked about a case in which the Tennessee Court of Appeals reversed a trial court's grant of summary judgment to Psychemedics in a negligence suit. Elder said he hadn't heard of it and does not pay attention to all media coverage of his company.

Govea said the school will do everything it can to ensure the tests are accurate.

Robin Chavez, assistant principal of the high school, said before the meeting that school leaders know the students and can work with those who insist the tests are amiss to re-test immediately.

Lourdes Lopez, a member of the school's foundation who said her connection to the school goes back about 25 years, expressed doubt that the policy results would remain private, as Govea and Elder promised. "This is a small school. Everybody talks."

St. Michael's hosted one more parental forum in its library at noon Wednesday.

Contact Robert Nott at 986-3021 or rnott@sfnewmexican.com.