Pubdate: Wed, 28 Mar 2007
Source: State Press, The (AZ Edu)
Copyright: 2007 ASU Web Devil
Contact:  http://www.asuwebdevil.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3961
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

DUDE, TAKE A CHILL PILL

Overzealous hunt for drugs in school distracts from important things

We all have those friends who just can't seem to get over high 
school. Lately, it seems those friends have all gotten jobs with the 
media - and the stories they're telling are getting a little disturbing.

There are two specific subjects that have us worried, and they're 
both related to that subject that sends shivers of fear up and down 
school officials' spines - drugs.

Every time we start to think that things might've changed since the 
days of "Reefer Madness," we get stories like the "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" 
Supreme Court case and the recent New York Times article detailing 
the rising tide of schools using random drug testing.

In case you've missed what might be the funniest case ever to come 
before the Supreme Court, the "Bong Hits" case revolves around high 
school student Joseph Frederick, who had the brilliant idea to get on 
television by holding a banner that read "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" during 
the Olympic Torch's trip through his town.

School officials suspended him, arguing his actions disrupted the 
school's mission, despite the fact that it occurred off campus.

Setting aside the blatant free speech issues, does the school's 
reasoning even make sense? How is unfurling an attention-seeking 
banner off campus more disruptive than suspending that student and 
taking the case all the way to the Supreme Court?

Then there's the trend toward random drug testing. According to the 
Times article, random drug testing has found a home in nearly 1,000 
school districts across the United States. The testing isn't just 
used on athletes - it's been authorized for use on anyone 
participating in extracurricular activities.

Again, eschewing the endless debate about whether a school even has 
the right to invade a students' privacy by subjecting them to urine 
tests, common sense is squarely against the policies.

We always hear about how our teachers and schools need more money. We 
hear about a lack of after school programs because of a shortage of 
funds. And then we hear that schools and local governments are OK 
with spending the money necessary to randomly drug test their students?

Are we becoming so obsessed with preventing teen drug use that we're 
losing sight of what's really important?

The desire of school officials to maintain an educational atmosphere 
at their high schools is admirable. But their willingness to destroy 
any trust a student may have in authority by tramping all over those 
students' rights is deplorable.

It's high time for all these officials to mellow, man.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman