Hawaii’s teachers union says a random drug test provision in their new 2-year contract will turn away applicants and hurt retention. Future teachers say they'll deal with it, but think it's not necessary.

The next public school contract will put more money on teacher paychecks statewide -- with raises of about 4 percent in each of 2 years.

"I find it exciting that we're going to be paying teachers a little bit more,” said Michelle Murray, a University of Hawaii student teacher currently at Kaimuki High School. “It's not like a huge raise, but it is a little bit more and it will make their lives a little easier."

That's appealing to Hawaii's future teachers who plan to work in public schools. But will the drug testing provision be enough to drive away the soon-to-be graduates?

"I don't think it will,” Murray said. “I think most teachers are in it because they enjoy teaching. I don't think most teachers aren't using drugs."

"I don't believe so,” concurs Donald Young, UH’s dean of the education school. “And quite frankly, if it is, maybe there is a positive benefit to this because if it deters someone who might be inclined to be using drugs, they don't belong in the profession anyway."

That may allay some fears at the teacher's union where they face filling about 1,500 vacancies a year.

"We don't see a lot of teachers rushing off to a school district to randomly drug test since it's pretty rare nationally," said Joan Husted, executive director of the Hawaii State Teachers Association.

Future teachers who do not plan to stay in Hawaii say drug testing alone won't drive new teachers away.

“It's not really their first choice of where they're placed, so I think that kind of deters,” said Meilani Lang, a UH student in special education, referring to new teachers’ first assignments after school. “And also the support that they get once they do start teaching."

Though the drug issue won't make them turn their backs, they say the feel random tests are not the right move, especially to retain existing staff.

"Somebody who has been teaching for 20 or 30 years and has never had a problem in their classroom could be randomly selected for a drug test,” Murray said. “I find that very inappropriate."

The actual rules and procedures still have to be drafted, and the union doesn't expect random drug testing to be in place until the 2008-2009 school year.