<p>How many of you go to schools with this sort of policy? My school has had it for almost 2 years and now they are implementing it in the local middle school. I mean, it's useful and all, but most of the big "Druggies" don't join the clubs/athletics etc that put you in the RDT lottery. It also seems a lot of teachers like to have kids drug tested for no reason.</p>
<p>Unless you go to a private school, they can't force you to take a drug test, but ofcourse if you play a sport, and refuse a drug test they will probably suspend you/kick you off your sports team.</p>
<p>But, at my school atleast if you get caught with weed, or get caught high at school. You have an option to go under "contract" or be put up for expulsion. Pretty much every kid takes the contract, but the contract states they can be drug tested whenever, for what ever, reason for it or not.</p>
<p>I'm sure there would be someway around the drug test though. Any minor can void a contract if it doesn't involve or is a necessity to life, so tech a student could sign the contract, then void the contract a month or so later when they try and test the student and by that time it could possibly be to late to expell the student. Would be interesting, but im not about to try it. I'm also sure that to the government schooling is a necessity to life, which i don't understand because you can drop out of school and you will still live.</p>
<p>Wow. The resolution for yesterday's L-D Debate was "Resolved: Drug testing for high school participants in extracurricular activities is justified". So much fun. </p>
<p>I used to be affirmative on this, but now I'm in opposition. Yes, it's unreasonable to have those in ECs randomly tested for drugs. Let's say we're faced with the hypothetical statistic that only one person on the football team uses steroids. Because drug testing is random, he will most likely be overlooked, and consider this: most drug testing does not detect anabolic steroids. Also, drug testing is way too frickin' expensive, from what I've found in my research. Out of curiosity, does your school require kids in ECs to put some input in paying for these tests? I find it unrealistic that schools can keep up with it if they aren't asking for student input. And as the last poster said, there are some effective ways to get around a drug test, such as using urine-cleansing powder and putting salt in your urine sample. </p>
<p>And if you were to look at the situation with Vernonia, drug testing was somewhat ineffective, considering that the decline in drug use among athletes wasn't at all significant. </p>
<p>Waste of money, waste of time. And it gives kids in ECs the message that they are "guilty until proven innocent", which contradicts the intentions of a just society.</p>
<p>Yeah, we are automatically put in the pool if we participate in ANY sort of sport, club, or EC from the school. Also, if we park at the school parking lot. If you refuse to test, you are out of the club no matter what and they automatically think you are on drugs, so they search you/your locker etc. I don't really care since I don't do drugs, but this seems to discourage druggies from getting involved.</p>
<p>No, we are not required to pay for these. We have had chances to voice our opinion but our principal is on a power trip, so she doesn't care too much what the opinions are. This policy got her, her tenure in 3 years.</p>
<p>Well, I think you should take another chance in announcing that the money used for obsolete drug testing should be diverted into improving programs focused on education. Propose that programs that educate about drugs could be a better alternative. But if she's so adamant on drug testing, I say that she should seek out the cash to make it school-wide. That would actually be effective and you could fish out the people needy of treatment and counseling. But then again, that requires even more cash, a problem nowadays.</p>
<p>random drug tests....damn im screwed</p>
<p>just kidding ....are you speaking of the new NJ policy?</p>
<p>yes i am....</p>
<p>I think it depends. In a public school I don't think they should do drug testing unless there is a serious suspicion or perhaps proof people are using drugs, but then test everyone, not just a random sampling. But I think in private school anything goes.</p>
<p>in my school it's the people who obviously don't take drugs that get repeatedly drug tested while the gangster wannabe's are assumed entirely 'clean'. so nobody ever gets in trouble with drugs.</p>
<p>lightfish- interesting, its the exact opposite in my school....</p>
<p>in my school they "random" drug tested the kids who were obviously on drugs. the kids proceeded to have a walk out protest for the next 2 days and got in serious trouble. their argument was that the drug test wasnt entirely random and that they were targeting the people who wear punk clothing. the argument was probably true, but the thing is that these people come into school everyday reeking of drugs with bloodshot eyes so they always looked very suspicious. also if you're protesting a drug test you might as well carry around a sign saying "I'm on drugs." these kids did turn up positive. </p>
<p>i think random drug testing should occur b/c there are a lot of kids on drugs in my HS. however, the money issue makes it a whole different argument and im not completely positive what they do in my school. im almost sure the school pays for it, but i doubt that would occur if they occurred more often. i think drug testing should occur when the school is suspicious of somebody, because kids talk/brag about drug use and crazy weekends (at least in my school). this would probably not include people on steroids, but it may be obvious who is on steroids if there is a significant change in somebody's muscle mass.</p>
<p>"are you speaking of the new NJ policy?"
what policy?</p>
<p>I disagee with drug testing for sports on the basis that it isn't designed to protect the team, or the integrety of the game. as someone said, they don't check for steroids and amphetamines, they check for weed. </p>
<p>It's an excuse to intrude on the student's private lives over something that does not effect the team, and is not their business. Nabbing someone fo having used maijuana does not protect the team, or the sport from anything. it is loophole to try to "moraly" control students of a school.</p>
<p>
[quote]
i think random drug testing should occur b/c there are a lot of kids on drugs in my HS
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</p>
<p>so? That is in no way the business of the HS. That is something these kids do with their own lives, on their own times. Firing somebody or expelling somebody on the basis of their lifestyle choice is wrong. If the drug use effects schoolwork, which it certianly could, the school can take action based on the effects. </p>
<p>even if some students use drugs on the weekends, that doesn't make you a better person, or more worthy of anything. there is a culture war against drug users because it is seen to somehow make them "bad people." The law does not define good and bad. It just attempts to adhere to it. Murder or stealing arent wrong because they're illegal, they're wrong because they kill or hurt someone. Illegality does not make marijuana evil; it is not evil, although many buy into the Reefer Madness hysteria and assume it to be.</p>
<p>How would they test you? Like with needles and stuff? I think I would be for it to get people who do drugs. But it definetely seems unfair. But I think it's worth it.</p>
<p>I think in most cases they test by random urinalysis. Hahaha... drug testing doesn't seem to be doing a good job of catching the addicts... If it's only directed towards those in ECs, you're not going to get optimum results. And since it's random, you're most likely going to overlook the big druggie. Personally, I think most kids in ECs have enough maturity to realize that they're going to hold higher standards as role models for other students. Most of them aren't going to use drugs, knowing that they'll endanger their bright futures. So why bother? Test the WHOLE school then, if you have the cash.</p>
<p>And anyway, people are now reverting to alcohol and ecstasy because they leave the body much quicker and are often undetected by drug tests.</p>
<p>what do you guys all have against drugs anyways? haha, you all seem to have had some kind of traumatizing event in your life with them causing you to want to get people in a lot a trouble while you wouldnt be effected whatsoever. </p>
<p>infact, that's pretty sybolic, and the word "drugs" there could be substituted for a lot of words, abortion anyone?</p>
<p>In caffiene is not screened for then I am ok with the random drug tests.</p>
<h2>JakeR said: what do you guys all have against drugs anyways? haha, you all seem to have had some kind of traumatizing event in your life with them causing you to want to get people in a lot a trouble while you wouldnt be effected whatsoever. </h2>
<p>So the fact that we have an opinion on something means we are horrible, traumatized, uncaring and mean? I don't want to get anyone in trouble - I just would like to see people take responsibility for their actions and realize the consequences. I don't know how I feel about random testing, but I'm quite clear on what I 'have against drugs', thank you very much. And I know from experience that I am VERY MUCH affected by other people's drug use.</p>
<p>I'm guessing these tests are not incredibly sophisticated, so it wouldn't be too hard for anyone who knew what they were doing to beat the test anyways given a day or so of notice. It accomplishes nothing. </p>
<p>I wouldn't have a problem if they were just testing for steriods or any performance enhancing drugs, but what business of the school's is it what I do on my own time. To those of you who say oh it's good cause it catches people who use drugs...who cares if I use drugs? As long as I'm not forcing them on you, why do you give a rats ass if I want to use on my own time? Cut the morality ******** and let people live their own lives.</p>
<p>Just 'cause you'll turn up clean doesn't mean the drug test is right. I'd be clean but it would be a complete invasion of privacy for someone at my school to check up on that. My involvement with drugs is only their business if I get high on their campus. If not, they should just stay out of it.</p>