Pubdate: Tue, 20 May 2003
Source: Springfield News-Leader (MO)
Copyright: 2003 The Springfield News-Leader
Contact:  http://www.springfieldnews-leader.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1129
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

SAY NO TO SUSPICIONLESS DRUG TESTS

Marshfield latest to consider random tests.

Marshfield High School is considering joining the small but growing number 
of schools who teach one thing in their social studies class and quite 
another in their school board policies. The board could vote next month to 
require random drug testing of any student involved in an extracurricular 
activity. It is a policy that, at is very core, says: You've signed up for 
band. Therefore, you are suspicious.

It goes completely counter to the philosophy inherent in the Bill of 
Rights' Fourth Amendment: The government should have some basis for 
suspicion before searching an American citizen.

Sadly, the Supreme Court ignored the plain words of the Fourth Amendment. 
In a 5-4 ruling last year, it said public school officials could require 
students in extracurricular activities to be subjected to random drug 
tests. It is a ruling that history will judge among the court's worst.

But school districts, which should know better, haven't been able to resist 
the invitation. Carl Junction High School, among the first in Missouri to 
start testing athletes when the court opened that door, quickly added all 
activities this year.

It has tested hundreds of students across the years. Almost all come back 
negative. Is it really worth the money and the mockery of basic American 
principles for the few positive results?

We don't believe so. Education budgets are under siege; random and largely 
fruitless drug tests hardly rise to the level of a top priority. And at a 
time when civil liberties are being questioned across the country, schools 
should be one place where they are honored.

If that's not enough, consider a few practical matters.

Studies have shown that students involved in extracurricular activities, 
whether athletics, music or the Science Olympiad, are far less likely to 
try or use drugs than other students. Random drug testing targets the 
students who already are most likely to post negative results.

Urine tests target illegal drugs. They can't identify students who abuse 
alcohol or prescription drugs. If the point is to catch and help students 
making destructive decisions, these tests skip right over the substances 
most likely to be abused. If the point is to give students a reason to say 
no, the tests fail on the same account.

Schools originally turned to random drug testing because administrators 
feared lawsuits if they asked students who raised suspicions of abuse to 
take a test. Instead, they have chosen to cast suspicion on everyone - and 
hope the number comes up for those they really do want to test. It is a 
goofy way to solve a limited problem.

Random drug tests give the appearance of getting tough on drug abuse 
without actually accomplishing anything. They turn civics classes into an 
exercise in hypocrisy. Random drug tests should be jettisoned, not 
expanded. We urge Marshfield to just say no.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager