A Cathloic high school in Ohio announced this week that they are going to begin conducting random drug tests at school starting in January to help enforce a new policy banning illegal drugs and nicotine. At the beginning of the week, administrators at Stephen T. Badin High School sent a letter home to the parents informing them of what was going on and the "aggressive" initiative aimed at protecting students who may feel "pressured into experimenting with drugs." The letter stated, " All students are capable of making mistakes and it is our job to ensure that students learn from them and grow through the process with the support and guidance of their family and the leadership of the school." There is not a maximum number of times a student can be tested, but it has sparked a debate over the rights of schools to conduct drug tests on students.
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Do you think schools have the right to make these decisions?
I think that schools should be allowed to do this because they are trying to protect the students and help them if they are stuck in a bad situation with drugs.
Do you feel like it is an invasion of the student's privacy to be tested at school?
I believe that some student's would be uncomfortable being tested at school if they knew they were in the wrong, but others would be fine with it.
Replies
I believe that schools should be able to do things like this. Ultimately, these tests are meant to get people in trouble, they are meant to ensure the safety of the students in and out of school. I think the only students who would feel like it is an invasion of privacy would be the students who are in the wrong.
Doing these test could put some students in trouble, but in the end would be the best thing for the community and school. Everyone wants to be able to go to school knowing they are safe, and this may allow more people to feel safe at school.
Legaly I don't think that in Iowa anyways you can drug test minors for sports or any sort of drug testing unless its a legal matter or for a job. I think that what students do off of school grounds and in there own privacy is a problem for there parents not the school.
I think it would be alright if it was mandated by the town and they had parental permission, but completely random drud tests; without asking the town that deligates with the legal issues could lead to future problems with law sutes. Mo because the schools do have the right to do surches and tests on their property but i can see how some people might view it as an invastion of privacy.
I see where you are coming from, the school did send a letter home to the parents of these students telling them what they were trying to accomplish starting in January. I agree with you that the school has the authority to check and test a student for drugs at schools because they are on school grounds, and the kids doing these drugs might think they are pushing the limit and invading their privacy.
I believe that it would be alright for schools to perform random drug tests. It is important for schools to do their best to keep students on a clean path and if random drug tests is what it takes, then I think they should be done. While some may view it as an invasion of privacy, I also think that those who have not been on drugs will take the test without complaint because they have nothing to worry about.
I think schools should be allowed to drug test students because this is keeping all the students safe and employees throughout the school district safel. I do not think it is a invasion of student's privacy because they are on school grounds and the school is in charge of them, so it is their job to protect the rules within the school.
I agree with you, since these kids are on drugs at school or bringing drugs to school, they are on school grounds, so it is the faculties responsibility to do everything they can to keep them safe. It is a school rule that you can't have drugs or any of that type of stuff at school, so all the staff is trying to do is keep everyone safe and to follow the rules of the school.
I think this is totally acceptable. Using is illegal. Just like how police can drug test you, there's no reason why the school shouldn't be able to in my opinion. I do think that if a student tests positive that the law should be brought in. I'm not sure on the legality of the school going thru your things.
I feel like the school is allowed to take random drug test because they want kids to be safe and not do thing illegal like take drugs and is not a invasion of privacy because they just want the school to be safe.
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