Pros And Cons Of Drug Testing

The school board of Vernonia, Oregon implemented this policy in their school. This applied even more so to athletes, who were seen as the “leaders of the drug culture” at the time. The policy “...required all those who wished to play on interscholastic athletic teams to submit to urinalysis drug testing.” (“Vernonia School District. [Brit.]) In the year 1991, after the policy was put into place for two years, a student challenged the policy. He, known by the name of James Acton, as well as his parents, refused to sign a consent form for the drug testing. Due to this, he was not allowed to be a part of football team, and is what led to their first trials. They were named “Wayne and Judy Acton, guardians ad litem (representing) for James Acton v. Vernonia School District 47J”. In these very first cases, the plaintiff were the Actons, and the defendant was the school district. The family lost in the U.S District Court, but later had the decision overturned by Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, who claimed that the district had truly violated Acton’s Fourth Amendment rights. The school district attempted to overturn the decision again, which led to the Supreme Court case, Vernonia School District 47J v. Acton,

In response to the issues, the school district made an effort to quell the issue by inviting speakers, and several different presentations to limit the drug use of students help the comprehend it’s dangers and negative impacts. However, this did not stop the problem. To solve this issue, a policy of drug testing had been adopted. One student in particular, James Acton-- had refused to participate in these random testing. Upon his refusal, he was then denied participation in his school’s American Football Program. After this case was taken to the Supreme Court, an argument for James Acton was that the random drug testing policy violated the clauses in the 4th amendment that protected for unreasonable searching. The Supreme Court decided that the search was in fact reasonable due to the schools attempt to quell the issue of drug use and keep students safe. The majority opinion stated that the search was reasonable. There was hard evidence that there was definitely a drug problem in the school. To quote an excerpt from acclaimed author Johnson Scott F “Fourth Amendment rights, no less than First and Fourteenth Amendment rights, are different in public schools than elsewhere; the "reasonableness" inquiry cannot disregard the schools ' custodial and tutelary responsibility for children. For their own good and that of their classmates, public school children are routinely required to submit to various physical examinations and to be vaccinated

After years of delays, rising tensions and hours of discussion, a proposal to randomly drug-test Zionsville High School students was approved Monday night.The Zionsville School Board voted 3-2 in favor of the new policy which requires any students who elect to participate in extracurricular activities or park on school property to consent to random drug tests.Students who fail a drug test will be required to enter and complete a drug counseling program.The approved plan is a variation of one supported years ago by the Zionsville Student Rights Union. They also proposed that only students who park or participate in afterschool programs be tested, but the union plan wanted students to face no consequences at school, and for positive results to

Both Brann and Superintendent Steve Mazingo said the North Carolina High School Athletic Association may soon mandate that area school districts drug test their athletes. It is a step in the right direction in terms of protecting our athletes from substances (Mazingo) On June 26, 1995, the United States Supreme Court ruled that middle and high-school athletes can be required to submit to drug tests as a condition of athletic participation, according to the Cato

According to Essex(2012), drug testing students would be in violation of the fourth amendment and would be difficult to justify because the students are protected under their privacy protection rights.As discussed in the text it was decided in the year 2002 during the case of Board of Education V. Earls when the supreme court had ruled that students who are participating in extracurricular activities must undergo a mandatory drug screenings and it became constitutional (Essex, 2012,p.35).

are familiar with the legal ability of public high schools to drug test students involved

Over the past couple of years drugs have grown within the younger generations. Nearly one in five teens have taken prescription medications to get “high,” according to a recent study by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America (Carroll 23). Most schools that put mandatory drug testing in place are schools that had, and still have, drug problems within their schools (Yamaguchi). These are few examples of mandatory drug testing in high schools athletics and why it is needed across the country.

I understand that in Braxton High School there has been an incredible increase in student arrest for drug possession during the mist of last school year. Two students died after using drugs at post prom party. The school would now like to activate random drug test. I also understand that a large group of students and parents

Forcing students to participating in these tests aren’t in fact a total positive on their lives. Many student athletes may feel separated from their peers because of these tests, which could very well end their continuation in athletics. In an article placed by the American Liberty Civils Union, stated that singling out students isn’t really fair. Think About it; Enforcing a rule on those who want to do what they love, only by giving up what they love. My argument is not that students love drugs, ironically, their addiction leads to bondage. The impulse of testing may in fact cause students to indulge in their substance use even further, and end their goals in athletics if necessary. All things considered, this doesn’t justify the actions taken. While a percent of students may be in the category described, a larger portion can be benefitted by the testing. It is even said in the same article that, “Mandatory drug tests are constitutional for after school sports and other extracurricular activities”(ACLU: KnowYourRights 3). To end drug usage in sports, can very well lead to the end of drug usage in the student body as a

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

“Why aren’t you doing softball this year? You're the best player on the team and your batting average is almost perfect!” I asked. “They did drug tests and I failed mine, so I can’t play this season.” I herd under a mumbled breathe. I shouted, “that is why schools should not have drug tests, they are restraining great athletes from doing what they do best! You have great grades, participate in extracurricular activities, and even help with food pantries outside of school so why would they be punishing you for this?” Schools should not be drug testing student athletes for these reasons: drugs do not determine the way students play, forbids them from playing a sport they like or are good at, and it restricts some students from participating in extracurricular activities because they are scared they might get drug tested.

The Cullman City Board of Education has approved a student-athlete drug screening program that will be put into effect for the upcoming 2014-2015 school year. The board approved the program with a 4-1 vote. Student athletes will be randomly selected for drug screening and all results of test will remain confidential. The drug screening may take place in or out of a student-athletes respective season. The purpose of the drug screening program is not punitive in nature. It is designed to benefit and protect students and allow the school to provide intervention for student-athletes if necessary. Student-athletes will be asked to administer uncontaminated samples for testing and will be provided with absolute privacy in a designated restroom

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.

It seems that drugs have become a major epidemic within teenagers in the last few years. There is only so much that can be done to try and eliminate drug use, while not dramatically changing anything in the community. Drug testing the district’s student athletes provides many reasons that it is a worthwhile expense. Lawyers, Mark Vetter and Daniel Chanen, stated in the Sports Law Institute Newsletter “First, student-athletes were the leaders of the drug culture” (Vetter and Chanen ¶3). This simple statement proves that athletes need to be drug tested; it will improve multiple circumstances within the district and the lives of athletes. Drug testing student athletes at the high school level is a step every school district needs to take in order to improve their schools, and the students’ lifestyles despite the high price tag on these tests.

High schools and middle schools that offer competitive extracurricular, such as sports, clubs, or teams, required certain criteria before they let their students partake in said activity. While most schools request either a physical, average academic standings, or both, some school districts are implementing a third criteria, a drug test. Though not mandated by the government or even the state, some school districts believe it to be a crucial factor when determining the eligibility of a student. One instance, in which a school district incorporated a mandated drug test, resulted in a court case called The Board of Education of Independent School District No. 92 of Pottawatomie County v. Earls. In 1998, a school district in Tecumseh, Oklahoma adopted the Student Activities Drug Testing Policy (Policy) which “required all middle- and high-school students…to submit urine for drug testing” (Linder). The school district created a drug testing protocol that involved the student collecting a urine sample under the supervision of a teacher. The teacher, who would be standing outside of the stall, would be present to ensure that the student could not tamper with their sample.