Editorial

ILLINOIS FINDS DRUG USERS AMONG SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS

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About 200 people flunked a mandated drug test for school bus drivers and applicants in Illinois last year. The state started keeping a central clearinghouse of school bus drivers who flunked drug tests in July 1995.

Illinois officials proudly announced the high detection rate last week. The tests revealed use of marijuana, cocaine and other drugs in 24 counties. Most of the offenders were in northern Illinois, with 120 in Cook County (Chicago) alone. The state also announced that 158 applicants were denied licenses for committing such crimes as rape, murder and prostitution.

Illinois has about 25,000 school bus drivers, so the numbers are a small minority. But it does make one wonder what kinds of people have been driving Illinois school buses in the past.