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. On side A, people believe that …show more content…
They also say that the amount of steroid users in sports will decrease. This side also argues that test scores and grades in general would increase with these tests. As McKinney state 's, “High schools with RSDT programs exceeded the state average for test scores on the state-mandated graduation test as well as exceeding the state average for graduation rates” (Random Drug Testing Can Prevent Student Drug Abuse). This shows that the random testing could be helping the test scores. This side also believes that decreasing the amount of drugs in schools is better than making students feel uncomfortable. Each side has things that they both want to see happen. Both sides believe that drugs in school are bad. They both want to minimize the amount of drugs and drug users at schools. They also both want to keep students interested in extracurricular activities. Both sides don’t want to discourage students from getting involved in these activities. Both sides also want to keep the students and staff safe. These sides have many disagreement. Side A believes that drug testing can hurt students and infringe on their rights. Side B believes that testing will help students and the faculty. They believe that the tests will protect them from drugs and the people that use them. This is one of the largest areas of disagreement between both sides. Side A also argues that these tests are inaccurate and can punish innocent students. Side B says that the tests are not as inaccurate as the
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.
Mandatory Drug testing within schools reverses the legal principle of innocent until proven guilty and also violates the Fourth and Fifth Amendments of the Constitution. Without suspicion of drug use, there is no probable cause to test student-athletes for drugs, thus violating the Fourth Amendment right to be free from unlawful searches. Drug testing student-athletes without acquiring sufficient evidence to base accusations on, is essentially asking them to provide the evidence of their own guilt which violates the Fifth Amendment right to protect
If the students do not feel like they can trust school officials, who else will they go to if they don’t want to go to their parents? There needs to be a bond a trust between students and school officials, it is very important. Drug testing student athletes can also result in false positives. Innocent students could suffer consequences and this could affect where they go in their future, tremendously.
Well my statement is that it doesn’t matter if you are a good school are not because you never know if students take drugs at home before school, after school, or in the bathroom. My claim is TRUE that all students and athletes should be drug tested to see if they have taken any drugs. All students should be drug tested just in case if they did take drugs so if I was you in middle school don’t take any drugs that could harm you or your
Many high school athletes oppose to drug testing, because they feel that it is not right. High school athletes shouldn’t be drug tested because it is very costly, a violation of rights, and student athletes won’t be able to play high school sports. In fact to drug test one 400 athletes at an average 24 dollars per student athlete (Ingraham).
The testing causes teens to become more aware and careful but it will not stop from them smoking. It is a waste of money and time because those kids are making their own decisions to resort to drugs. The government cannot make the decisions for the people only guide them in the right direction. The researches found that female rates of drug abuse went down in the high school community only in the schools with a “positive” environment. That shows that females who thought that what they were doing was wrong then had the resources to stop doing so because life got harder for those in a harsh environment since more pressure was put on to keep there actions under the table. People, especially youth, will do what they want to do no matter what. The best thing for the government to do is give students the ability to learn from whatever decision they make and use that tax money for something more productive for the nation. If the government really wants to see an improvement in the use of drugs in high schools then they should improve the environments and knowledge presented to the students about drug use. Once a student fails a random drug test their plan for their future can change extremely. Like me for instance, if one of our students failed a drug test at school then they would be asked to leave which means losing the opportunity to represent a highly respected team and would most likely lose a scholarship. That’s years of practice and
Secondly, even when telling the students that the drug test is approaching, it does not decrease the usage of drugs. In those high schools that tested athletes, between the drug test surveys given to students by University of Michigan research investigators, there was roughly a 94 percent agreeance between the students at both of the schools that implement drug testing policies and those who do not, that they had been using drugs within the last year (Swanbrow). Furthermore, the test do not deter students from taking other drugs that will not show up on the test. The University of Michigan research investigators even surveyed experienced marijuana users and asked how the drug test would impact their usage of it and other drugs. The students essentially said that even when knowing the test was coming they were still going to take the drugs and still manage to pass the test by using others urine for example. The data from students surveyed from drug testing and non-drug testing schools stated that their usage of drugs was almost exactly the same, roughly a six percent difference between the two. Therefore, the drug testing programs
One may be astonished to discover that in 2012 “..about 17 percent of American high school students were drinking, smoking or using drugs during the school day” and this number has remained relatively stagnant throughout the years (Kuczynski-Brown). The amount of students who take part in the illegal acts of drinking, smoking, and drug use has been difficult to combat. Students do not understand that these substances can result in harmful consequences down the road. This is why it is imperative that, as a society, we begin looking for solutions to defeat these harmful habits, and sometimes, addictions. The earlier we begin to inculcate the effects of these substances on the young, the better. That is why the prime-time to spread this message
Steve Klotz is an assistant superintendent in Missouri at the Maryville School District. He believes that children should get drug tested at the age of thirteen or fourteen to be able to play a sport. Many agree to have drug tests in Middle school not only to scare them but to see how they would change for a sport they love. Steve said “We wanted to do it to create a general awareness of drug prevention.” His idea is to prevent students from doing drugs at a very young age. Doing drugs or dealing with drugs at this age could ruin their future. Parents should agree with implementing drug tests for
Students who were randomly drug tested were less likely to use them in later years. There is a 12% average of students in 8th grade that use drugs. New Jersey published the results of a six year study of drug-testing preventions among New Jersey Middle School students. The students asked their parents if they could get randomly drug tested, in the later years the drug abuse reduced. Almost every school now does drug testing for students engaged in sports or extracurricular activities.The primary purpose of drug testing is not a punishment, but to prevent drug abuse, and help them to become drug-free. Drug testing middle school students is a good influence, doing drugs affects the brain and body massively at a young age, many studies show positive
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.
How does high school drug testing negatively affect high school students? Both public schools and private schools are all for giving drug tests but it turns out that more students end up doing drugs after the tests than there was before the tests (“Table:...). A lot of high schools say they give out random drug tests but they really aren't that random. The administration knows when they are giving them out and to who they are giving them out to. They give out tests to students based on their suspicion; which is very dangerous
Other people believe that mandatory drug tests aren’t necessary at all because students haven’t progressed to addiction yet. Some users aren’t really addicted yet, but most are so we need to have some tests and cure most students that are
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.
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.