Drug abuse within the school environment can't be tolerated. That much is clear.

The right solution, however, is elusive. Whenever there's a disturbing development — such as the latest report of a public school teacher arrested for a drug offense — public pressure mounts for a crackdown to prevent this from happening again.

And who could be surprised by that reaction? Protecting our children must be our top priority. Public employees working with children have a responsibility to serve as role models; drug use runs counter to that role. Drug use also diminishes employees' ability to perform their duties.

The problem is that the response prescribed by many — random drug testing — is an intrusion on privacy that shouldn't be mandated casually.

The current legislative proposal along these lines would require random drug-testing of public school employees, teachers and public library employees.

Vociferous opposition from the Hawaii State Teachers Association has managed to keep ideas such as this at bay. But what's been lacking to this point is an alternative way the union or administration could demonstrate commitment to fighting the problem.

Fortunately, there's now a sign of that commitment arising from contract negotiations between the union and the Department of Education. Among the items on the table is a proposed protocol for ordering an employee suspected of drug or alcohol abuse to be tested.

In addition, SB 1139 would require the state Department of Education to adopt rules to determine sanctions for positive drug tests. It also would establish an employee assistance program for assessment, treatment and counseling.

That's an element of the bill that's worth passing, or at least it could be part of the language in the contract settlement.

Crafting a set of rules by which employee behavior should be gauged and directed is an issue of utmost concern that must emerge as a final provision in what's expected to be a two-year contract.

To postpone adopting a new strategy any longer would be intolerable. If those entrusted with the schooling of our children won't address the matter themselves, the public will be forced to address it for them as a last resort, with mandatory random drug testing.