Pubdate: Fri, 17 Jan 2003
Source: Eau Claire Leader-Telegram (WI)
Copyright: 2003 Eau Claire Press
Contact:  http://www.leadertelegram.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/236
Author: Heather Holbrook
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

RANDOM DRUG TESTS WRONG

I recently did research on drug testing in schools and found stories of 
students at various high schools across the country who are regularly 
tested for drug use in their schools.

Some students were tested because they participate in extracurricular 
activities, others because school administration thought that they might be 
under the influence of drugs. In some cases, students were randomly 
selected and taken out of class to be tested.

I was alarmed to find out that it's legal to pull random students out of 
class to test them for drug use, especially if there is no evidence or 
reason to suspect that the student is using drugs.

As a school at Memorial High, I don't think that drug testing students at 
school is necessary. Evidence shows that a very low percentage of students 
being tested come up positive for drug use of any kind.

The only result that testing seems to have is students feeling violated, 
humiliated, and in some cases they lose respect for the administration at 
their school. Some students have even taken their school boards to court 
for violating their Fourth Amendment right to privacy.

My school has undergone some very drastic changes during the past two 
years, and I couldn't imagine what it would be like to have random drug 
testing on top of the fines, cameras, and strict administration. Schools 
are learning institutions, not prisons.

Heather Holbrook, Eleva
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager