| There are many pros and cons in the school drug | | | | increasingly be subject to random drug testing |
| testing debate that is a hot topic of discussion in | | | | under a program promoted by the Bush |
| schools and amongst parents, teachers and | | | | administration. There are some parents, teachers |
| students these days. | | | | and school officials who are calling it a |
| Some say that the main purpose of random | | | | heavy-handed, ineffective way to discourage drug |
| school drug testing is not to catch kids using | | | | use that undermine trust and invades students' |
| drugs, but to prevent them from ever using | | | | privacy. |
| drugs, illegal or not. Once teenagers are using | | | | In many workplaces and in the military, there's |
| drugs it is much harder for them to break their | | | | been drug abuse testing going on, but courts have |
| addiction. Maybe it's the issue of peer pressure, | | | | ruled that public schools cannot impose random |
| which is the greatest cause of kids trying drugs. | | | | tests on an entire student body. |
| If by testing the athletes or other school leaders, | | | | However, the Supreme Court ruled in 1995 that |
| we can get them to say no to drugs, it will be | | | | schools could randomly test student athletes who |
| easier for other kids to say no. | | | | are not suspected of drug use. In 2002 it was |
| On the other hand, one of the fundamental | | | | ruled that all students who participate in voluntary |
| features of our legal system is that we are | | | | activities, like cheerleading, band, or debate, could |
| presumed innocent of any wrongdoing unless and | | | | be subjected to random tests as well. Since then, |
| until the government proves otherwise. Random | | | | the Bush administration has spent $8 million to |
| school drug testing of student athletes turns this | | | | help schools pay for drug testing programs. The |
| presumption on its head, telling students that we | | | | White House hopes to spend $15 million on |
| assume they are using drugs until they prove to | | | | drug-testing grants in the next fiscal year. |
| the contrary with a urine sample. | | | | There are about 600 school districts in about |
| "If school officials have reason to believe that a | | | | 15,000 nationwide that use drug tests, according |
| particular student is using drugs, they already | | | | to officials from the White House Office of |
| have the power to require that student to submit | | | | National Drug Control Policy. White House officials |
| to a drug test," said ACLU-NJ Staff Attorney | | | | liken drug testing to programs that screen for |
| David Rocah. | | | | tuberculosis or other diseases, and said students |
| The constitutional prohibition against "unreasonable" | | | | who test positive don't face criminal charges. |
| searches also embodies the principle that merely | | | | Others believe that if parents would just take the |
| belonging to a certain group is not a sufficient | | | | time to talk with their teenagers about drug |
| reason for a search, even if many members of | | | | abuse and if they suspect their teen is abusing |
| that group are suspected of illegal activity. For | | | | drugs, the parents need to take actions beginning |
| example, even if it were true that most women | | | | in the home. There are many teen drug testing |
| with red sports cars were drug users, the police | | | | home kits on the market these days. If parents |
| would not be free to stop all women who drive | | | | upheld their roles as parents, then teachers, |
| red sports cars and search them for illegal drugs. | | | | coaches and the government wouldn't need to |
| Students who participate in athletics, music | | | | step in and push the issue of school drug testing. |
| programs, and after-school activities could | | | | |