DES MOINES, Wash. - Should schools conduct random drug testing of students?  That's the big debate today in Des Moines, where the White House's deputy drug czar is visiting.

Bertha Madras, Deputy Director for Demand Reduction in the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, is hosting a town hall summit at Highline Community College. She's asking school districts to implement a federally funded, mandatory random drug testing program in schools.

"It has to be private, confidential, non-punitive and that's how the federal program has imposed these standards," said Madras.

Madras says the policy has been proven by nearly 1,000 schools nationwide to reduce teen drug use.

"You cannot interfere in a child's academic life," said Madras. "You can't expel them, suspend them from school. They have to be confidential on a need-to-know basis."

Madras says district would have to follow strict guidelines as outlined by the Supreme Court.  Lake Stevens High School has a testing program in place which tests students involved in extracurricular activities.  Students must agree to testing in order to compete. If they fail or refuse a test, they are suspended from competition. 

"I'd be alright with it," said one student.  "It would help keep people who do drugs off the football team." 

But student reactions were mixed at Ballard High School in Seattle.

"As long as the privacy of students is kept well, I'm all for it," said Helen Wessen, student. 

"That's kind of a private thing," said Jack Brannan, student.  "Schools don't really have a right to test you." 

A Survey USA poll shows out of 500 local residents, 49 percent of adults support random student drug testing, while 46 percent were opposed. 

The Washington chapter of the ACLU opposes the policy and says research shows it doesn't work. 

"It's all part of the war on drugs - a series of polices that have failed," said Doug Honig, ACLU.  "It's ineffective because it deals with everybody as if they are a suspect without a reason to believe individual students have done anything wrong." 

Don’t expect the state's largest school district to test students soon.  The Seattle School District is waiting on a state Supreme Court decision on testing before making any policy changes. 

"The primary concern is making sure that we don't violate the students' Constitutional Rights," said Shannon McMinnimee.  "As the state Constitution typically has been afforded more rights than the federal Constitution, we need to see the outcome of the current case." 

The Drug Prevention Summit at the Highline Community College Student Union Building continues through this afternoon.