Windham High School Drug Testing Case Study

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

The goal of mandatory drug testing would be to reduce student substance by deterring substance use, detecting substance use, and the influence of the behaviors of students peers. Students involved in extracurricular activities, such as sports that are subject to in school drug testing, report less drug use than students in high school that do not play a sport and do not get drug tested. By drug testing the Athens student body would help by insure a safe, secure, and healthy school environment where students can reach their full academic potential to learn. Athens High schools goal should be to identify students with possible drug abuse issues and to intervene. Students should be required to take drug test to be allowed to park on campus. Less drugs in

They cited the Vernonia School District 47J v. Action case , where the Supreme Court ruled that suspicionless drug testing of student athletes was constitutional , the federal district court supported the policy, granting the board’s motion for summary judgment. The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals , however, they agreed in favour of Earls and James , deciding that the policy did violate the Fourth Amendment . They found that schools “must demonstrate that there is some identifiable drug abuse problem among a reasonable number of those subject to the testing , such that testing a group of students will actually solve their drug problem.” The Tenth Circuit agreed that the school district had failed to meet this requirement. Then the Court agreed that the policy should be kept confidential . Then the Court came to the agreement that the student’s privacy was not important

Resourse officers, teachers, and administrators with experience in this practice of drug searches often discover talking about the drug problem wasn't enough and action is needed. High school students do and think whatever they want. I know this because I am a high school student. Mary White, who is a principal at Longmont High School, reported that "we had used the tradional methoods of drug education. We had brought in speakers to talk to the parents and the kids but that didn't seem to be enough." (Robinson) Obviously, students make their own desicons no matter if it's good or bad for them. This kind of search and seizure pratice leads the students to not listen because the want to be rebilous and want to try different things in life. According

Even though drug testing is very expensive, ALL high school’s athletes should be tested because drugs are bad for your health and very addictive. A simple drug test could save many lives. Many schools around deny the request to drug test their athletes for the simple conclusion that the cost of the testing would just be to expensive. I disagree whole heartedly on that because although it may be expensive, we could save so many lives by requiring drug tests to play sports. Many students have love for the game who would have no problem giving up drugs for the chance to play sports with drug tests and a little guidance.

High School, students are using drugs to show a clearer performance in numbers, with that teens hormones doubled through the past year. In 2013 3,705 students took a survey ( that was shown on Wednesday. Teen steroids moved up from 5 percent to 7 percent during that same era. This problem causes people to worry school officials including parents as well, which then would include drug

Had I been on the board making the decision concerning random drug testing for athletes and those with parking passes I would have probably voted for the testing. I don’t believe all high school students are doing drugs, but I do think the student athletes should be tested for drugs for their safety as well as the safety of other. Collegiate and professional athletes are tested. As for those with parking passes, they too should be tested because they will be driving on school grounds and no matter what the school has some liability. I can see why some people argue that only a select group are being targeted and those who do not take drugs may feel uncomfortable but has to do with safety. As for the parent that said, schools educate and parents parent has no understanding that it takes everyone to raise a child. An example of a case relating to drug testing ;Board of Education v. Earls, 122 S.Ct. 2559 (2002) The Supreme Court held constitutional an Oklahoma school policy of randomly drug testing students who participate in competitive, non-athletic extracurricular activities. In reversing a federal court ruling, the 5-4 Court stated in its majority opinion that it found such a policy "a reasonably effective means of addressing the school district's legitimate concerns in preventing, deterring and detecting drug use.

This could lead to punishing innocent students and encouraging those using the drugs that are detectable to move on to more dangerous drugs since the risk of being caught is less (Legislative Guide, 2017). Drug testing is very expensive, and they feel it is not cost effective for the schools. Instead, the schools could use that money to promote drug prevention programs. Another argument is that a positive drug test can lead to suspension from athletic teams and extracurricular activities and these activities have been shown to be protective of substance abuse. So, students who use drugs will not play sports or participate in extracurricular activities, which is detrimental to them in the long run (Legislative Guide, 2017). Student rights and invasion of privacy is also seen as a concern (Lombardo, 2016). Despite the Supreme Court rulings that give schools the right to drug test in certain situations, there are still concerns about its legality. Laws are inconsistent from state to state, and schools risk legal liability and expensive litigation by engaging in this practice. (Legislative Guide, 2017).

“The District Court found, athletes were the leaders of the drug culture…the high school football and wrestling coach witnessed a severe sternum injury suffered by a wrestler, and various omissions of safety procedures and misexecutions by football players, all attributable in his belief to the effects of drug use.” In 1991 James Acton, a student of Veronia District, was denied participation in his school's football program when he and his parents refused to sign a consent form for drug testing. The Acton’s family subsequently filed a lawsuit. The lawsuit topic was that the policy violated both the Fourth and Fourteenth amendments and the Oregon Constitution. “The case was argued before the U.S. Supreme Court on March 28, 1995. The court pointed out that even though school officials are agents of the state, as a result of their custodial and tutelary relationship with students, they have the authority to act in loco parentis in safeguarding the children in their care. The court then cited the fact that schoolchildren are already subjected to physical examinations, such as scoliosis testing, and to various vaccinations.” The court found that the school policy met the Fourth Amendment’s reasonableness requirement and was constitutional. “The appellate court’s decision was

Teen student-athletes shouldn’t be tested for drug use. If students are never tested for drug use, then they will end up ruining their lives with drugs. Students in U.S. public schools have the Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable searches. This right is diminished in the school environment, however, because of the unique need to maintain a safe atmosphere where learning and teaching can occur. What the author fails to consider is that even though students do have a fourth amendment right, the schools still have the rights to search the students’ lockers and bags if they are on school

Do you think your students are doing drugs? Then you might want to do a drug test. Just think about the percent of teens and middle schoolers doing drugs is “60 percent or more of teens in the survey reported that drugs are used, kept or sold at schools and 52 percent said there's a place on or near school grounds where students go during the day to use drugs” (More teens using drugs, study shows

Did you know that 23% of drug-free schools conduct drug tests on students? The amount of random drug testing is increasing all around America. Schools are using random drug testing, to stop drug use. Little do they know, high school students are known to do as they please, outside of school and their parents, students won’t be changing their actions because of these tests. Lastly, teachers should stick to teaching students, not overanalyzing what they do during the free time. Overall, student drug tests should not be required or allowed within schools.

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.

     The procedure of testing student for drugs, alcohol and tobacco before every school day should be allowed. The fact that the subject of drug testing has even been brought up is a sign that illegal substances have become troublesome in high school environments. Therefore, school officials should be allowed to use any means necessary to discourage the use of these illegal substances, even if it means that the school officials could become dangerously close to violating the students’ constitutional rights. A student under the influence of drugs or alcohol could endanger his or her fellow students or faculty and that student should not be allowed to attend that school. School