Argument Random Drug Tests in School Essay

Why would you take a drug test if you have never touched drugs in your life? This is a question that many parents seem to be asking at schools all around the country. Many parents think that it is unfair that students who play sports must have their privacy invaded. I believe that drug testing in schools is unnecessary because it is expensive and a waste of money for schools, it is not effective, and it is not constitutional.

To begin with, it is an invasion of privacy to the students at the school. It is their business, and the school administrators do not need to be invading the privacy of what kids/young adults are contributing to outside of school. I for one would not want anyone, (especially school administrators) invading my personal privacy, exactly why drug testing should not be allowed in public schools.

However, drug testing is constitutional and has proven to be useful nationwide in America. A simple search on the World Wide Web will unveil the truth about the constitutionality of drug testing in America. Two major cases from Supreme Court, Vernonia School District 47J v. Acton and Board of Education of Independent School District No. 92 of Pottawatomie County, et al, Petitioners v. Lindsay Earls et al, involved the challenging of officials’ ability to drug test students in order to participate in extracurricular activities. In both cases, the ruling resulted in a majority declaring these test requirements to be constitutional (“Prevention”). Along with the fact that testing has held its constitutionality in Supreme Court, evaluations have proven that the testing process effectively minimizes drug use among high school students in extracurricular activities. “Some 16 percent of students subject to drug testing reported using substances...in the past 30 days, compared with 22 percent of comparable students in schools without the program (‘The Effectiveness’).” This fact means that six percent less students in the high schools studied were not using drugs in the schools which had been implementing the drug tests. If this same number would be a proportionate reflection of all high schools in America, six percent more of high school students - about 3.3 million teenagers - would not be utilizing drugs and contracting the painful consequences later in life (“Fast Facts”). That is a humongous number which means a humongous number of kids would be drug-free, living healthier lives with even brighter futures. The constitutional drug testing in high school athletics could save over 3 million kids from having to endure possible years of life with painful illnesses like cancer during

In the article “Drug-Testing Reduces Students' Drug Use, Study Says.” It is statistically proven that drug testing reduces students drug use. “Students involved in school random drug testing reported less substance use than their peers in high school, that didn’t have drug testing programs.” (Samuels). If students want to be involved in extracurricular activities, they will stop the drug abuse if a drug test was mandatory just to be able to do so. Extracurricular activities is a privilege not a right and will continue to be. Drug testing could change so many lives and people really fail to comprehend that just because of the amount of the test behind it. On an average 47,000 people lose their lives to drugs a year. It could be possible that half of those were teenagers.

According to the New York Times great athletes were involved in drug unethical behavior over the past ten years. This brought a big attention to the schools across the nation to start drug testing student athletes. Giving this some thought school's drug testing students is a great idea.

The reason I think middle school kids should be drug tested is because they start with a harmless drug then the go to dangerous drugs as the time goes on.As stated on overview2016 in there data they provide.If the schools will test middle school students they will be less likely to take drug and get worse.That is why testing

Drug testing students allows them to be successful in the future. Drug testing allows for early detection and intervention. If you do drug test students it increases chances for students to be successful. Drug addiction leads to academic and athletic failure. Even a single use of a drug thats intoxicating could affect a person's performance in school

I see it as nonintrusive. If during a drug test the student is asked to have their bags searched and they are searched beyond the agreement, then that is intrusive. Random drug testing for an entire school would be hard to justify unless there was a known drug problem in the school. If the school was known to have a high drug I can see a need for random drug testing as long as the parents agree in writing that they are aware that their student may be tested for drugs and they will be receiving the

After examining the issues surrounding drug testing students and teachers at the school, I disagree that students and teachers should not be tested. One reason I maintain this positive is that students should not be drug tested so they won’t feel peer pressure. In the article, testing the limits, Peter V. emphasize that drug testing in schools argues that it helps teens fight the pressure to use drugs. As a teen, I have firsthand experience with my friend drinking. However student’s won’t listen, they will still do drugs. In contrast, they agree that students should not be drug tested. Peter V. analysis of testing the limits in positively Negative Results has strengthened my perspective that the students should not be drug tested because drug

Many students used prohibited drugs. Schools must required drug testing to filter out the drug users. If they already know the people who used drugs, they will proceed to counseling. In that way, they will know the reasons of the students why they are taking prohibited drugs. The guidance counselor is the one who will guide the students for good. If someone is detected using drugs it is not important that they are caught doing wrong and they will not be kicked out of the school.(Pemberton/2011/par.3) Instead, he or she will be helped by the school for guidance. Mandatory drug test can help for student's future career. If he or she is not guided by the school, he or she will not succeed in life. Mandatory drug test can also help from student's safety. It can benefit a lot someone's

If a student walks in the door and is tested unexpectedly for drugs in their system throughout the month, they may begin to feel pressured to quit. The threat of discovery discourages students from beginning drug use or encourages them to stop which makes them better able to achieve academic success. Results are confidential and could help them say no to drugs offered to them. Being that the results are confidential provides the parents with information that could help the student. Some students may try to sneak their uses, but if they are randomly tested,

If health organizations oppose the testing why should it be allowed, obviously health care providers and researchers know what is best for the young adults. These researchers and health care providers spend their lives learning how to better the health of the American people. A few of the organizations that oppose are the: American Public Health Association, National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, and ACLU . One of the reasons why ACLU opposes is because it is intrusive, also because it is an invasion of privacy to ask a kid to take a drug test . What ACLU believes is what many other organizations believe as well, this testing is an invasion of privacy, and also will be counterproductive and lead students to other destructive things.

Introducing the fear to students on drug testing that will directly affect them, will most likely decrease the use of drugs being abused. The president of the Institute for Behavior and Health explains that RSDT (Random Student Drug Test) could be used on any athlete, any day, and any time without notice (DuPont et al ¶6). Making the testing random will help eliminate any cheating or strategizing that the students who would test positive could be doing. Keith Ablow, MD and psychiatrist published an article in 2011 said that, both varsity and junior varsity teams should be tested with results kept private (¶6). To only test Varsity athletes would be unacceptable because JV athletes could cause just as much harm to athletes around them as to themselves. To make it fair and because kids follow by example, coaches would test also (Ablow ¶ 9). When a positive test appears, there should be punishment, but not to the extent of expulsion. Guidelines to RSDT programs say it is not supposed to end up in punishment for drug tests (DuPont et al ¶25). Not giving any punishment would defeat the purpose because then kids would not care to stop their drug use. Random drug tests to not only student-athletes, but students in general will promote a healthier lifestyle without drug use (DuPont et al ¶5). Students should be on edge not knowing if they are going to be tested or

Debate over drug testing students in school is very controversial. Drug testing students gives the school administration the power to drug test random students at any time. Various schools across the country have implemented these tests. Parents have very different views on this topic. Some believe that this gives the administration too much power. They also believe that these tests infringe on students rights. Other people believe that these tests are very helpful in decreasing the amount of students that use drugs. They also believe that the tests make schools a safer environment for learning. Both sides want safer schools for the students, but disagree on the steps that should be taken to make it happen.

Drug testing allows for early detection and intervention Students have a built-in reason to resist peer pressure, a well-known reason why kids experiment with drugs Schools are fulfilling their duty in promoting a safe and drug free environment increases chances for students to have a successful future. I agree with this because you should test and stop kids before it’s too late in life and now they are addicted to something forever. I also believe that many kids take gateway drugs while they are minors and the younger they are the worse the drugs they would eventually take in the future are gonna be worse.