Student Drug Testing Research Paper

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.

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.

Another issue of drug testing student athletes is that it is also known to be ineffective. Drug testing will not point out students who are facing drug abuse and will not be able to help them. Studies found no difference between drug use in schools with and without testing. “A 2003 study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse – the largest of its kind – examined 94,000 students at 900 schools in the U.S. and found no difference between levels of drug use at schools that test their students and those that do not,” (Cosner). Drug use will still be existent in high schools. Studies conclude that drug use in schools that use testing and those that don’t. In fact, students may stop using drugs easy to detect like marijuana, and start using cocaine, heroin, and drugs similar to those. Students who really enjoy getting involved in sports, but have a strong attraction to drugs, may end up using harder drugs so they won’t get caught. As discussed in the article on The New York Times webpage,

Drug testing has been going on for a long time and they have been used for different occupations. They have been used for teachers, medical jobs, and even jobs people wouldn't think had to have drug tests. The sad thing is they are using them on students. When a person uses drug tests on students for no apparent reason, that's just basically torturing them. This is occurring all throughout America and is really pointless. A child would not want some person they don't really know seeing their personal information and knowing if they are guilty or not. Having drug tests for student athletes is not beneficial because of the Extreme Cost, the Mental Health Effects, and the Fourth Amendment.

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

School teachers and administrators say that drug testing middle school's athletes would aid as a deterrent in the use of drugs for some student athletes according to the New York Times. For example middle school's students are more likely to use marijuana more than steroids or any other drug, but the drug testing works so that they don't do drugs.

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

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

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

Drug testing in schools is a very controversial issue with strong opponents and proponents. The controversy comes down to legality, safety, and privacy, with both sides of the argument having different perspectives on each. Drug testing for schools is a fairly recent development in the educational system, supposedly aimed at fighting an evolving drug problem in the United States.

There are many reasons why the school must have drug testing. A student must submit a urine that should be used for detection.(Mo/2011/par.1). The school must have a mission that there should be no drug users in the campus. Everyone must succeed in life. One reason is to preparethe studentsfor profitable employment. They are schools which have advisory councils that are made up of businesses taht would be potential businesses to hire the students that support their expertise. Through this, the school is moving forward toward its mission. If someone is tested positive, there should be no punishment. They have to meet with a counselor and they can participate in an activity which can help in avoiding drug abuse and

However from the point of view of a teacher, parent or whoever is for the testing, it is done to protect the students. Many children or young adults that experiment with drugs do not understand what the drugs can do to their minds and bodies. With the testing schools will be able to determine which students need help and can better focus on treatment, and helping the student to understand the consequences of their actions not necessarily disciplinary but on the issue of health. As far as helping the students goes it is much easier to teach the students about drugs when it is known which students are doing them or have tried them. Time will not have to be wasted by explaining, "why drugs should not be taken" to a student that is taking them wile they could focus on treatment to deter the student from taking them.

Illicit drugs have become a big issue in today’s society. Many schools feel the need to prevent the increasing use of these illegal and harmful drugs. In order to decrease the number of students who are abusing or just using drugs, many schools have adopted drug testing policies. These drug testing policies vary from school to school; however, they all are testing students involved in extracurricular activities such as school clubs, athletics, and even students who own a parking pass. Although the purpose of drug testing is to decrease the amount of drug use in school, some people believe that drug testing is a violation to the student’s right of privacy, and shouldn’t be allowed.

Susanne James-Burdumy, Brian Goesling, John Deke, Eric Einspruch, and Marasha Silverberg all agreed that all students should be subject to drug test. Now a days there’s a lot of drug use going on with high school students and can have negative effect on your school if it becomes a problem. As Susanne James- Burdumy stated, “One approach to addressing student substance use is school-based mandatory-random student drug testing. Under MRSDT, students and their parents sign consent forms agreeing to the students’ random drug testing as a condition of participation in athletics and other school-sponsored competitive extracurricular activities” (James-Burdumy, 2010). Where they can run into problems with this is when the parents don’t sign off on the consent form. Some parents know and allow their children to use drug, which under regulations of MRSDT would cause athlete not to participate in their extracurricular activity. It could lead to legal trouble between the school and the parent of that student. You want to be able to stop all students from using drugs, but what if a lot of the students don’t get the consent form signed. You need a plan in place for those with these issues, to make sure you’re prepared because it is definitely bound to happen. Another problem you might run into is the MRSDT not showing use of certain drugs, if this happens an epidemic can occur within the school. The most important thing you can do for those high school students is raise awareness about the effects

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