Drug testing in schools?!?!

[The Hunter of Jahanna]

They have to. It is a school`s responsibility to make sure that the kids learn their work. Drugs, besides being illegal at that age (and in most cases, illegal *period*) they can intefere with a student`s ability to learn. But the main thing is the legal factor. A school is not above the law, and is the legal guardian of it`s students in school hours and at school functions. That means that a school is in trouble if a student is caught either using drugs on campus, or under the influence of drugs on campus (including on excursion and at discos etc.). So, the school has to stop student`s from using drugs. How are they going to do that ?? Just making a rule against it doesn`t help - students swear at every school in the world, and that`s often the number 1 rule. So, they have to do random tests, because the only alternative is that they test every student every day. My school owns a breathaliser which is taken to every Disco, every excursion, and will be used at the Year 10 formal. Students get fined for smoking on campus or in uniform, much like they would be for an overdue library book. I don`t think that this is at all over the top - if a student is found to be using drugs while under the school`s duty of care, they either have to be stopped and punished for it, or the school can be in alot of trouble. So, schools have to take actions to prevent drug use, or atleast deter it.

Whatever happened to parents takeing responsibility for their children???It isnt the schools job to make sure you dont use drugs. School is there to teach you the basics. It is PARENTS jobs to make sure their children dont get into drugs and things.

[Blind_Prophet]

Yes it should be more of the parents responsibility, but in this day and age its much easier to blame other things, and not take that responsibility upon yourself. Its not the schools job to take care of other peoples kids.

[Bruce The Aussie]

does this mean me and my friends will have to get rid of our secret greenhouse for our "special" plants, hidden at the end of the school field. [img]smile.gif[/img]

I know it is not popular to talk about but "MINOR" children have only limited constitutional rights. THeir parents are able to ignore most of them right from the start, and in THEORY the parents are involved in electing the school board, which means the board is acting at the behest of the parent. Right now drugs and violence are causeing an all time record amount of problems in the schools, and I think if they are going to have drug testing they should have it for everyone.

I personally don't mind them testing my kids. I also do not mind them having random searches of the lockers. Or targeted searches if the kid has indicative behaviours.

I also go through my kids rooms occasionally. They know I do it, so are not stupid enough to keep anything really bad there. It does however let them know Im payiong attention and that I am the one in charge and not them.

I draw the line at reading their personal notes or email, UNLESS (and they know this) they start acting in unusual manner or they start to have serious behavioral problems.....So far I havn't had to do that.

[ 11-15-2002, 10:47 PM: Message edited by: MagiK ]