Pubdate: Tue, 26 Oct 1999
Source: San Francisco Chronicle (CA)
Copyright: 1999 San Francisco Chronicle
Contact:  http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/
Forum: http://www.sfgate.com/conferences/
Author: William A. Newsom
Note: Mr. Newsom is a retired Associate Justice of the California Court of 
Appeal

DRUG-TEST LEGISLATORS

Editor -- If I read right in a recent Chronicle news article, the U.S. 
Supreme Court has decided that evidence of recent drug use by teachers 
isn't necessary to justify mandatory drug-testing of teachers, who must, as 
the court reasoned, stay alert to ensure the safety of students.

As a retired Appeals Court judge, I would like to take this occasion to 
propose that judges, including Supreme Court justices, be regularly 
drug-tested, at least in cases involving drug-testing issues, in order to 
ensure their alertness in evaluating the alertness of those responsible for 
the safety of students.

I hope I am not stretching an important point in proposing that legislators 
who pass laws requiring drug-testing, whether of teachers or judges, ought 
themselves to be drug-tested before voting on such laws.

WILLIAM A. NEWSOM
Associate Justice California Court of Appeal (ret.) Dutch Flat

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