Drug testing in schools - what do you think?

[MsLeFever]

I'm curious - what are teen DISers opinions about drug testing students? Not just athletes but regular students as well. Do students have a right to any privacy? Should they be tested when there is a "reason" or should it be open for any student? Where should the money come from (is it expensive)? What should/would the school do if the test is positive?

Looking forward to your thoughts oh wise ones....

 

[DramaQueen]

Well I wouldn't object, because mine wouldn't come up positive for drugs.
But I think 80% of my HS peers would've been screwed!!

I went to a public school, and I don't really think public schools should be doing drug tests for everyone, because I don't think in public schools they should punish students for something they've done outside of school.
For private or boarding schools then I completely understand.

But for public schools it would take alot of time/money and whatever consequences there were for a positive drug test would have to be applied to 80% of students attending public schools, so if they were going to suspend for positive drug tests there wouldn't be many students left in school. (in most public HS' in my area at least) They would probably just see the suspension as a vacation.
And I doubt it would prevent them from further drug use.

That's just MHO.

 

[JulielovesDisney]

I think they should only do it if the student is in question. If somebody comes into school one day and acting like he/she is under the influence of whatever, then they should pull them out and test them. Otherwise, leave it be. It would be senseless to spend lots of money on random testing when a good portion of them will probably come up clean. Use that money for more books or something.

 

[Princess_Dot]

I see nothing wrong with it.

I go to a small private school. They take pride in keeping students safe both in and outside of school. If a student was to come to school under the influence of drugs, wether the drugs were done at school or not, it is now the school's responsibility to follow up on.

With approximatly 35 students per grade, I think my school could do random drug testing for every student.

I am aware that some of my friends would be in trouble, but these girls are also perfectionists. They care about their futures. Maybe, just maybe, if they were caught doing drugs they could see the stupid choices they are making.

I understand "not punishing a student unless there is probable cause." However, if a student is not doing drugs, then this is not really a huge inconvenience for that student.

 

[STOPxmickeytime]

I understand testing athletes, because sports are willingly entered into by the student, and drugs may have an effect on their athletic performance.

But testing random students in a public school is definetly against their rights.
Students are obligated by law to go to school. It's not like athletics, where they willingly join.
What students do outside of school should have no reprucussions inside of school.

Plus, what if they start randomly drug-testing in inner city schools?
The already financially deprived schools would have more money taken away from school resources.

 

[TinkerTracy]

I believe that only athletes should be tested. I do think it is an expensive violation of privacy in public and even private schools.
But let's say a student has been caught selling drugs or coming to school messed up, then they have a REASON to test that person...they have no right to test someone who hasn't done anything wrong.

 

[crazytp93]

If you have nothing to hide, then you have no worries getting tested. I wouldn't mind.

 

[Axel]

I'm all for random drug testing. I'd just love for some of the kids at my school to get busted. One used to be my friend, but then she started smoking pot heavily and she turned into a complete *****. I'm not kidding. She's been acting all "holier than thou" ever since she started and it's so annoying. She's been pushing pot on me and some of my other friends saying that it's "good for you" and "way healthier than cigarettes". She's so stupid and I just want her to get caught. She got one of my other friends into it and then she started doing meth. And she has the delusion that she's going to get into Dartmouth.

They caught her younger brother in a random drug test the other day. He was so high. I laughed when she came in complaining about it.

But hey, if you're stupid enough to come to school high...you deserve to get caught.

Same with when they do drug searches. If you're dumb enough to bring your drugs into school, you deserve to get caught.

But yes, I'm for it. I'll pay for it with tax money.

 

[Vannah]

They do random drug testing once every six weeks at my school.
And that's for everyone, not just athletes.
But I think if you play sports then you have a better chance of getting called out to be tested.
It's really not a big deal for me, I just don't especially like having to do it as it takes away from my class time.

 

[rock.my.socks]

I'm all for random drug testing if the student is given the option to refuse, with the consequence that their parent will be informed if they decide to decline. That way the parents can know that their child was reluctant to be tested and can talk with them or take them to get tested at a doctors. If the school was low on funding then I think they should do less tests or test only athletes and students who they already have suspisions about.

 

[Tinkerbell424]

I'm all for random drug tests, especially if the school has a reason to be testing.
As for the money, people could donate money or it could come from the school's fund.
My school built a 6 million dollar building for the magnet kids. It's outrageous. Much nicer then the main building, and it even has fishtanks installed in the walls.
I'm pretty sure my school does not do drug tests other then for the athletes, which is such a shame considering a lot of kids in the tenth,eleventh,and twelvth grade either do hooka (sp) or drink every weekend.

 

[Sparx]

i've probably been drug tested fifty times since sixth grade (when they started drug testing in my county)

one time, i was drug tested three times in one day.

randomized testing my hiney.

there are two thousand students in my highschool, and i am still tested every time they test.

but i pass every one of them. obviously, they're not drug testing the right people.

 

[I'm a Divaaaaa]

Oh please, the money used for that could be put to a much better use.

 

[MsLeFever]

This is really interesting guys - thanks so much for your opinions!

 

[TinkerTracy]

Oh please, the money used for that could be put to a much better use.

I agree


And I see some of your school do test...is it working? Clearly not.
Waste of time and money.

 

[Cinderelli16]

If my school were to do drug testing, I think about 85% of people in my high school would be pretty much screwed. There are alot of people who do drugs, smoke pot, etc. Every once in a while my school will do a random locker check where they bring in the police, and drug dogs to see if there are any drugs in peoples lockers, so we end up going into lock down. One time it got so out of hand they started checking everyone's cars too, and found marijuana in our schools homecoming queens car. But not once did they test us for drugs, in my opinion I think they should. Oh and sorry to bring up another thing about testing but I also know that some schools test their students for STDs, but only when a disease is also getting out of hand.

 

[BabyPiglet]

I personally wouldn't have a problem with it. From a fiscal point of view I don't agree though, the money being used to test students who show now signs of drug use, could be used to purchase new text books, computers, desks, etc etc. (Sorry about the long run on sentence.)

 

[Axel]

It works in my school, at least.

This year through 2 random searches and several random tests we caught like 20 people with drugs or on drugs. Their parents were notified and boy, did they ever get in trouble.

One of the seniors this year did hardcore drugs. She took heroin and all that stuff. Well, she went wacko one day and wrote a note on the bathroom wall saying "11:00. It all goes down. Bang!" and then she drew a gun. They watched the tapes, analyzed the handwriting (one of our english teachers is a certified handwriting analyst person), and caught her. They tested her for drugs and it came up positive for marijuana and cocaine. She has since been expelled, lost her full ride scholarship to UNH, and is pretty much regarded as a loser by the entire school. Except, you know, for the the other druggies. To them she's a saint.