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