Pubdate: Wed, 24 Nov 2004 Source: Mitchell News-Journal (NC) Copyright: 2004 Mitchell News-Journal Contact: http://www.mitchellnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1777 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing) THOUGHTS OF DRUG TESTING DANCE THROUGH OUR HEADS As of this editorial, the school board had not yet voted on the drug testing proposal for Mitchell High School. New principal Jack Brooks has brought forward a policy modeled on one used in other Western North Carolina schools. Our first thought when someone says drug testing is "rights violation." It is a knee-jerk reaction. The more we think about it, drug testing can be a good thing for the high school. Problems that can be caught early can be headed off before they get completely out of hand. The schools are in place to educate our children. To do this they must provide a safe educational environment with minimal distractions. Drugs can cause large distractions. Looking at the policy again we noticed that the testing will be done for athletes and coaches. Suddenly, we wonder if the policy goes far enough. There may be some drug usage by students involved in athletics, but there are probably other students in the school that are more apt to be involved in drugs and are not involved in athletics. Shouldn't they be tested too? Is there a policy of random testing the student body that would pass legal challenges? It used to be something like a drug testing policy for high school students would not be needed. It also used to be okay for students to bring hunting rifles and pocket knives to school. Today, drugs are here. They are available to students as easily as alcohol. More so in some cases. It is no longer things like marijuana that are the major problems. These days there is methamphetamine being made in Mitchell County and sold around the area. As addictive as crack and cheaper to make. In addition to the traditional legal drugs, teens now know the names and affects of prescription pain-killers which are being bought and sold by people other than pharmacists. It is a shame that we have to discuss the issue of drug testing our students, our children. But if drug testing will keep our teens safer and help promote a better learning environment then it is something we need to look into. Besides, the only people that it will really worry are those who have something to hide. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin