Drug Testing In Schools

In 1995 the Supreme Court stated that schools could randomly drug test their athletic students. By 2008, 16 percent of school districts had started to take on some kind of drug testing program (John 2). Even though the Supreme Court has a certain amount of ruling on who is tested at the schools, some schools have expanded their range of students, a few going all the way to the whole student body (John 2/3). One of the main reasons the supreme court ruled towards testing the student athletes is because they are supposed to be seen as the role models and influencers of the school, and outside the school. Seeing athletes doing drugs might increase the drug use of the school. (John 3). Student

In the United States, 27.2 percent of high school student participated in illicit drug use. While this number has lowered in the past two decades, dug use among teens is still a large issue. To combat this problem many schools have opted to drug test their students. Schools do have the right to drug test their students but there are constitutional limits in which a school can require mandatory drug testing. The constitutional limits include; health risks and personal injury risks.

In January of 1996, six months after the United States Supreme Court ruled that it was appropriate for Oregon’s school district 47J in Vernonia, to require student athletes in middle school and high school to participate in random, suspicionless drug tests, one percent out of the 16,000 schools in the country had brought the random drug testing into their facilities. (Taylor, Robert) Even though the Supreme Court ruled this way, they did not feel that this testing was a good idea. There had to of been some reason for this. (Bailey, William) If only one out 16,000 schools pick up on drug testing as a good idea, then there is more than likely something that the schools don’t think is right with it or they are unable to do it for some reason. Research shows that drug testing of public school athletes is not a good idea because it singles out athletes from all of the students in the school and suspects them of using drugs it is also a waste of time and money, and consists of low accuracy tests that so not always give the correct results.

Some say the reason for drug testing is because some believe that students who are drug free shouldn’t be surrounded by students who aren’t drug free, or that if the child is found to be using drugs

My evidence for this is that athletes and students should be drug tested for drugs if they have taken any before school. But this is why kids should take any drugs or smoke. My second reason is that the teachers and staff want the other students and athletes to be safe, and don't want them to take any drugs so then it doesn’t mess with the students and athletes learning in school. My evidence is that if students and athletes take drugs it can make them be crazy, also make them not to pay attention in school and, it could mess with their grades if they are not paying attention. So you should never do drugs. Someone’s counterclaim is that people should not be drug tested all the in the school year. Their statement was that “ I think drug testing throughout the school year is stupid, because we are a good school and no one here takes drugs.”

In many high schools around the country, student athletes are using drugs. “The percent of students that have drunk alcohol is 72.5% while the number of students who have used marijuana is 36.8%” (Report: Nearly Half of High School Students Using Drugs, Alcohol). The students believe that since they are athletes that they do not need to abide by the rules because they feel more superior and that the narcotic will not hurt or affect them. Implementing random drug tests for athletes will create a positive image and not hurt others or themselves. Schools need to have drug tests for student athletes because drugs effect relationships, using drugs have consequences, and lastly they have a major effect on the body.

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.

Do you know someone who is a student athlete? What would you think if he/she consumed illegal drugs? What would you do if you found out he/she died from drugs? Student athletes are not aware of the long-term consequences of consuming drugs in their life. Adults need to step up and approach student athletes about the danger of the impact it can have on their life. Many student athletes will consume drugs in their teenage years to improve their performance in the sports they play. Athletes are not educated well enough in high school about the harm that a drug can do to their body. While drug testing invades the athlete's personal life, every high school should drug test their student athletes before

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

1. "Drug Testing of Middle-School Students May Help Prevent Substance Abuse: Study." Partnership for Drug Free Kids. N.p., 8 Mar. 2013. Web. 18 Nov. 2015. .

The big controversy right now within the government and high schools is whether or not random drug testing should be legal in schools. There are many reasons why it should not be legalized, one reason being it goes against the fourth amendment. Why should we have testing in schools when many major health organizations oppose it? All it will do is make teens turn to other illegal and counterproductive things. These are many reasons why drug testing should not be allowed in high schools.

Have you ever personally experienced Random Drug Testing? Many people have different views on the topic. The bottom line is that it is important and may help students stray away from the type of lifestyle they may endure while abusing specific substances. The simplicity of random drug testing could change someone’s life for the better, to begin what is the scientific definition of Drug Testing? How does it work? Drug Testing is the biological analysis of a specific specimen on a human body to determine if the use of drugs or other illicit substances are present. Although there is complications with the physical drug test, we can help to overcome it and help students in high school at a young age save their future. Random Drug Testing in high

Drug testing, or DT, is considered to be any test administered to detect the presence of drugs, usually illegal substances, from a blood or urine sample. Major applications include the use to detect performance enhancing drugs in competitive athletes, employment screening used to filter candidates for hiring, and is often used by police to detect alcohol levels in drivers suspected of drunk driving. Historically, it has been applied to incriminate those suspected of consumption of illicit narcotic substances and also to confirm suspicions of illegal drug use, while individuals in sporting events undergo mandatory testing is implemented to catch those looking for a chemical upper hand to win in their sport or discipline. Yet the use of DT in the schools is becoming a far more common practice. Instead of using it to prove one’s guilt, they are being adopted as a deterrent for recreational drug usage in American youths by instilling fear that a positive test would force students to be excluded from participating in extracurricular activities that they so cherish. In the early 2000’s during a State of Union Address, President Bush stated that student DT is a proven and effective way to prevent substance abuse in adolescent students and it “is not to punish children, but to send them this message: we love you, and we don’t want to lose you” (Stuart 1057). In support of President Bush, the federal government spent over 18 million dollars on

Bowman, Darcia Harris. "Student Drug Testing Gathers Prominent Support." Education Week 23.3 (2003): 1-17. Academic Search Complete. Web. 10 Nov. 2011.

Many high schools across the country have brought much attention to the idea of giving random drug tests to students in high school. The newfound interest in student drug testing may be as a result of recent polls, which have shown an increase in drug use among high school students. Many teachers, parents, and members of school comities are for the drug testing, while most students and some parents feel that this would be a violation of students rights as Americans, which is true.