Pubdate: Mon, 01 Apr 2002 Source: Times-Picayune, The (LA) Copyright: 2002 The Times-Picayune Contact: http://www.nola.com/t-p/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/848 Author: Willmarine B. Hurst Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) STUDENTS' RIGHTS ARE VIOLATED Little by little, we have given up our civil liberties. We are handing over our rights with a smile on our faces, trusting our very souls to the government. Now, once again, the issue of drug testing has come up in the public schools. Frederick Douglass has already agreed to drug testing. Now, G.W. Carver has joined the ranks of those who would allow their children to be subjected to drug testing. My concern is for the students. I know that there are many parents, teachers, principals and administrators who believe that the students don't have any rights, civil or otherwise. But if my child was attending one of these schools, my concern would be to test the teachers, principals, office and cafeteria workers, janitors and security guards at the school. Who would pose the bigger threat to my child: the students who decide to get high to escape the baloney they have to put up with at school, or the grownups who are responsible for my child's grades, food, well-being, safety, etc.? These are the people I would want tested. Willmarine B. Hurst, New Orleans - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager