Pubdate: Thu, 16 Mar 2006
Source: Arizona Daily Star (AZ)
Copyright: 2006 Pulitzer Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.azstarnet.com/star/today/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/23
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

MARANA HIGH SAMPLING SPLIT ON RANDOM DRUG TESTS

Replies From Students At Marana High School

What do you think about schools that conduct random,  mandatory drug
tests of students? When is such testing  a good idea, and when is it a
violation of students'  privacy?

This week's answers come from Brian Johnson's  government students at
Marana High School:

Mandatory drug testing is completely justified. By  bringing drugs to
school or doing drugs in school,  students are potentially endangering
their fellow  classmates, not to mention that these are usually the
same students who repeatedly disrupt class and  eventually fail all
their courses.

Stephanie Kennady, 17

Random drug testing should definitely be enforced in  our schools
today. I don't think it really invades a  student's privacy. If it
will benefit the school and  other students, then it should be enforced.

Katie Murphy, senior

Random drug tests on students that are not athletes  should not be
allowed. It's unnecessary and does  violate the students' rights. The
only time this should  be allowed is if a student is suspected of
doing drugs.  Schools that do mandatory drug testing don't trust
their students and are performing illegal search and  seizure.

Sarah Belknap, 17, senior

If you are going to join any sports activities, you  should be
subjected to mandatory drug testing. Only  because you are
participating in school sports. With  the problems we have nowadays
with famous athletes  taking drugs, performance drugs and illegal
drugs,  schools should do mandatory drug testing.

Felicia Acevedo, 17, senior

If people involved in sports are tested for drugs, then  every student
should be tested for drugs. The drug  problem wouldn't be lessened
very much if only those  involved in sports get tested.

Thomas Morris, 18, senior

I really don't think testing is a good idea. It's up to  the person
doing drugs if they want to ruin their life.  No matter what, even if
testing is done, they'll find a  way to do it anyway.

Sarah Acton, 17, senior

It is a good idea for schools to have mandatory drug  testing. The
schools could reduce the amount of people  using drugs in school. It
wouldn't violate the Fourth  Amendment because students are in a
government  facility, paid for by taxes.

Jason Draper, 17, senior

The Fourth Amendment says you can't be searched or have  anything
taken from you without proper authority.  Schools should be able to
have random drug testing for  athletes playing sports only. If they
are just random  students, they shouldn't be subject to any drug tests.

Stephanie Altieri, 17, senior

It is justified when people believe you are on drugs.  It doesn't
violate student privacy because the student  is at the school and
knows the rules, so the student  shouldn't be using before or during
school.

Tiffanie Call, 17, senior

Random drug tests are not violations of the Fourth  Amendment because
it is being done at schools, which  are funded by the states.
Urinating in a cup is not  invading anyone's privacy because it is for
a good  cause and they should be done once every month.

Jeremy Lawson, 18, senior

Mandatory drug testing is an invasion of privacy. In  most schools
they do "random" drug testing, which means  calling the most
stereotypical-looking "stoner" to take  a test. It violates the Fourth
Amendment. It is  understandable to test a student that always smells
like weed and is failing, but why test people that look  different?

Jennifer Goucher, 17, senior

Tests should be like warrants, and authorities must  have a good
reason to test us. Testing random people is  unfair to us because it
is an inconvenience and there  are only a select few who should be
subjected to tests.

Trevor Dimmick, 17, senior

They should use drug testing only for sports because  they need to be
in good condition for whatever sport  they play. You wouldn't want a
sports player to pass  out while they're in the middle of the game and
they're  playing sports for the school. It is none of their  business
what a student does outside of school.

Erica Moore, 17, senior

Random drug tests would help fight the teenage drug  problem. Only
those who have found themselves  addicted or under the influence would
not want these  kinds of tests.

Grace Farnsworth, 17, senior
- ---
MAP posted-by: Derek