Venice High's nurse's office is not just for the sick. Now drug tests are being administered there. They have been available in the nurse's office since December 2005.

For the drug test, a urine sample is taken and checked for marijuana, uppers, downers and opiates. While not mandatory, the drug tests can be done upon parental request. Parental permission is also needed before a Venice High student is tested at school. The student or his or her parents must pay $10 for the test.

"A student asked for a drug test to prove that she wasn't taking it [drugs]," said school nurse Vickie Beckwith. She said that the student was trying to prove to her parents that she was not taking drugs because they did not believe her.

Along with parent and student-requested drug tests, there are those that are mandatory. Drug tests can only be mandatory if a student is under court probation.

While there are plenty of different reasons why a students might be sumbitted to drug testing, only about five drug tests have been done at Venice High.