Pubdate: Sat, 19 Jan 2008
Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI)
Copyright: 2008 Journal Sentinel Inc.
Contact: http://www.jsonline.com/news/editorials/submit.asp
Website: http://www.jsonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/265
Author: Chris Allen

Drug Testing

TESTING REDUCES TRUST, COSTS TOO MUCH

Drug testing drives students away from extracurricular activities, 
which are proven to help kids stay out of trouble, and it greatly 
reduces the critical trust needed between teens, teachers and 
parents. More unfortunate is the reality that testing does not 
identify students living with serious drug addiction, and it 
encourages students to use drugs like alcohol that are more dangerous 
but less detectable in a drug test.

Drug testing is a costly battle taking funds away from more 
effective, economical programs to keep young people out of trouble. 
It increases a school's chance of costly litigation when an innocent 
student is punished for a false positive. Alternatives to drug 
testing include education, discussion, counseling and 
extracurriculars that build and encourage trust.

Chris Allen

Milwaukee
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