Pubdate: Tue, 17 Aug 2004 Source: Amarillo Globe-News (TX) Copyright: 2004 Amarillo Globe-News Contact: http://amarillonet.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/13 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test) TESTING POLICIES PASS THE TEST Verbal Spin Fails Student Safety Monday marked the beginning of the school year for most students in the Amarillo area, and for more and more public school districts in Texas, the beginning of random drug tests for students choosing to participate in extracurricular activities. Ever since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2002 that random drug testing of students was not a constitutional violation, more school districts have chosen to implement such procedures. In the long run, students will benefit. Opponents of drug testing policies, such as the American Civil Liberties Union, continue to trot out the defeated reasoning behind their argument. A perfect example comes from the Houston Chronicle: "Students who are occasionally experimenting with drugs may choose not to participate in extracurricular activities that could lead them to a cleaner, healthier lifestyle," said Will Harrell, executive director of the ACLU of Texas. "Experimental" and "recreational" have become common terms of those who oppose strict drug laws, as if drug use is similar to testing a hypothesis in biology lab or playing pickup basketball. Opponents of random drug testing in public schools can spin their wordage, but in more realistic terms, such policies create a safe and effective learning environment. As we noted when random drug testing became an issue years ago, extracurricular activities are a privilege, not a right. Students should be expected to meet the responsibilities of representing not only their schools, but being true to themselves. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D