Pubdate: Mon, 10 Feb 2003 Source: Honolulu Advertiser (HI) Copyright: 2003 The Honolulu Advertiser, a division of Gannett Co. Inc. Contact: http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/195 Author: Nicole Boxley Related: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n077/a09.html Related: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n128/a04.html Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) VOLUNTARY DRUG TEST HAS WORKED ELSEWHERE I graduated in 2000 from a high school in Washington state. Originally, the school board and a community full of senior citizens there passed the right to drug-test any student. The ACLU threatened a lawsuit, asserting it was against our constitutional rights for a drug test to be required in a public school. Many students agreed that drugs were a large problem, and through community gatherings and student input, it was agreed to find another way that was legal. Eventually, our school required athletes and members of a school club or group to sign a release that they would submit to random, mandatory drug testing. A school can commit legally to drug-free athletes and club members, but it is against student rights to test every student. They cannot actually force all athletes and club members to test, but they can require, in order to "make" the team or become a member of a club, that students sign a release saying they're willing to submit. Again, this cannot be required of all students, but it is legal to do random testing of athletes. I am against drug use; however, I am much more against the violation of my civil rights. If authorities require all public education students to take drug tests, then they could require every citizen to drug-test, and that rapidly could progress to legalizing the search of any home for drugs, even without suspicion. Nicole Boxley - --- MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk