Pubdate: Tue, 07 Jun 2005
Source: Patriot Ledger, The  (MA)
Copyright: 2005 The Patriot Ledger
Contact:  http://ledger.southofboston.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1619
Author: Tom Angell

DRUG TESTING OF STUDENTS DOESN'T WORK

The Patriot Ledger does its readers a disservice by insinuating the
only reason parents or students would oppose student drug testing is
that it is an invasion of privacy (Editorial, "Testing teens for
drugs," May 20).

While there are serious privacy concerns when students are forced into
bathroom stalls while school officials stand outside listening for the
sounds of urination (as often happens as part of school drug testing
programs), there is a much more fundamental reason to oppose drug
testing: It simply does not work.

The largest federally-funded study ever conducted on the topic, which
appeared in the Journal of School Health in April of 2003, looked at
76,000 students at 722 schools nationwide and found no difference in
levels of drug use between schools that test their students and those
that don't.

Drug testing proponents are pushing these programs onto schools
without any conclusive evidence that the practice actually works.

Schools would do well to reject the Romney administration's drug
testing proposal, especially since the money could be much better
spent in a time when many schools are cutting teacher salaries just to
keep the lights on.

TOM ANGELL

Communications Director

Students for Sensible Drug Policy

Washington, DC 
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