Pubdate: Wed, 17 Oct 2001
Source: Florida Today (FL)
Copyright: 2001 Florida Today
Contact: http://www.floridatoday.com/forms/services/letters.htm
Website: http://www.flatoday.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/532
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)

TESTING STUDENTS FOR DRUGS WRONG APPROACH FOR SCHOOLS

In the war on drugs, trust was an early casualty.

In the 1980s, many federal employees were forced to undergo drug testing as 
a condition of employment, and the practice since has become common in 
state and local government, and in the private sector as well.

Now an anti-drug activist has proposed that students at Brevard County 
public high schools be tested as a condition of engaging in extracurricular 
activities such as sports, band or clubs.

It's a bad idea.

Illegal drugs are a major threat to young people in our society, but that 
risk does not justify sacrificing the liberties of a large population 
merely because the group happens to be made up of minors.

It's understandable that Ken Braid, a former Melbourne Beach resident who 
now lives in Colorado, is passionate on the issue. In 1994, Braid lost a 
16-year-old son to suicide after the boy, a sophomore at Melbourne High 
School, had used steroids for several months.

Braid's untiring efforts against teen drug use are commendable.

Still, a program to routinely test students for illegal drug use probably 
would do more harm than good.

Like adults, young people are entitled to both privacy and a presumption of 
innocence.

Requiring that teens be tested for drugs before they could participate in 
ordinary high school activities would infringe on fundamental 
constitutional rights.

Lisa Kuhlman Tietig, the president of the Brevard County chapter of the 
ACLU of Florida, has correctly described Braid's proposal as an invasion of 
privacy, and said it isn't the School Board's place to conduct such tests.

Points well taken.

Local taxpayers, who would foot the bills, also should consider that such a 
program could leave the school district vulnerable to lawsuits.

But perhaps the biggest risk of drug testing in public schools - or 
anywhere else, for that matter - is that it can be used as a convenient 
substitute for more in-depth approaches to dealing with the complex issue 
of addiction.

Teens usually get involved with drugs, experts say, as a result of peer 
pressure, anxiety and low self-esteem.

To counter those influences, young people need respect, trust and emotional 
support - not a presumption of guilt in the form of a drug test.

(SIDEBAR)

School Board

School district offices - 631-1911

Bill Powell - 269-9888

Bea Fowler - 784-0120

Rich Wilson - 773-3344

Larry Hughes - 724-4203

Janice Kershaw - 733-5535
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