Pubdate: Thu, 12 Jun 2003
Source: Cranbury Press (NJ)
Copyright: Packet Online 2003
Contact:  http://www.cranburypress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2181
Author: Colleen Yanchek
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1301/a06.html

DRUG TESTING NOT UNREASONABLE

To the editor

Random drug testing in New Jersey schools is an issue, which has been in 
discussion on numerous different occasions.

Some schools have implemented the law on their own, but many others have 
yet to follow. Random drug testing will only help to keep students safe and 
healthy and out of trouble.

The only negative effect of this regulation is that more people will be in 
trouble after having their drug habit found out.

A majority of the students at Hillsborough High School will experiment with 
marijuana, for example, during their high school career. Experimenting is 
all a part of adolescence and it is very understandable.

However, my belief is that checking up on students' drug use will prevent 
many kids from forming a habit of it after "testing the water" once or 
twice before. The random drug testing in schools regulation should be 
enforced at Hillsborough High School because it will only help everyone who 
is involved.

The debate on random drug testing has so many different subjects in 
discussion. One element is whether or not it is a violation of rights. 
Doing drugs is an illegal act and there is nothing private about it.

If a school chooses to randomly select students each month for a drug test 
then there is absolutely no targeting or accusing of anyone. Any student 
being subjected to a random drug test has no reason to feel violated.

A second rationalization for supporting the drug testing is that if 
students are found guilty then they will be given the opportunity to seek 
help/therapy. This is good because many kids just do not know how to stop 
using drugs. The guidance they will receive after a test is positive can 
really assist them with that trouble. A last point to consider is that 
after high school, there are many different times in a person's life that 
they will be required to pass a drug test. Some of these include college 
sport's teams and many places of employment. Implementing random drug tests 
on high school students will better prepare them for the future.

Of course there are an abundance of topics, which I did not touch upon, but 
these few are enough to get the public thinking.

In an interview with Patricia Janos, teacher at Hunterdon Central High 
School (a school that does random drug tests) and also a mother of a 
Hillsborough High School student, makes the simple, but very true point 
that "if you want all the benefits the school has to offer, it's a small 
price to pay."

She makes a very powerful statement when she agrees that students should 
respect the school's wishes to stay clean because the school provides a 
priceless amount of life for them. So why not randomly drug test once a 
month to keep the students on the right track?

Colleen Yanchek

Hillsborough High School
- ---
MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens