Is it a violation of one's civil rights to randomly drug test students? Has New Jersey gone too far by allowing random drug testing at the Middle school level? Is this the wave of the future? Can this be an effective preventative measure to stop drug use among young teens?
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http://www.parentdish.com/2011/01/13/new-jersey-school-district-to-drug-test-middle-schoolers/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-main-n%7Cdl5%7Csec3_lnk1%7C195211
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24 comments:
I honestly don't think it is that big of a deal if the students are offering to be put in a pool in which they can be tested. I assume that the students offering to participate are not and drugs. I think it is a good idea that they have that available. However, if it were a random test where there was no consent, I don't agree with that. Although drugs are horrible, I still feel that everyone is entitled to their privacy. I don't think you should be forced to take a random drug test if you don't want to. I feel you have the right to refuse. However, if this is already in effect, then I hope that it will be helpful to the school district enforcing it. I think today's day in age, it is very important to be proactive, especially with a rapidly growing issue such as drug abuse.
-Amanda Connerton
I do not believe that this is a big deal by allowing a random drug test. This is basically the same thing as our school by having the dogs come and search our lockers. The only way I think this would be fine is if they send a note home saying they are going to be having a random drug test within the next week, like our school did. I think this can be effective because kids aren't going to want to get caught, but i do believe it is violating civil rights. Even though it is similar to the dogs at our school it still is different because the dogs are searching the lockers which is the schools property, not ours. I feel that you should be able to refuse to take this test if you want to.
I think that random drug tests are a good idea and should be implemented in schools all over the country. The way that I look at it is; there shouldnt be an issue if you dont have anything to hide. It would definatly help make the drig problem a little less severe because people who are doing drugs will hopefully stop because they dont know when a test could be coming. I think that it would be very effective and i see nothing negative about doing the tests
Random drug testing can be considered as a violation of one's privacy. However, this school has benevolent intentions in their actions. The school is currently dealing with students who are already experimenting with drugs. Their goal is to deter further use by testing their students. Instead of punishing the students who test positive for drugs, the school will further educate these individuals on the effects of the drugs. For this reason, I see this approach to drug prevention as reasonable and just. I would not be surprised if this type of policy is adopted by other school districts across the nation.
I do not believe that it is a violation for schools to drug test their students. As first explained in New Jersey v. TLO, students have a decreased right to privacy on school grounds, and schools have the duty to protect the interests and proper development of its students. Just as employers have the right to drug test their employees, schools should have the rights to drug test students at random, not just athletes. However, the restrictive costs of implementing such a program will most likely limit its effectiveness.
I don't think this is a violation of one's civil rights at all. Drug abuse is a major problem in high school and college campus', so giving random drug tests is a small step to take in order to lower the severity of drug statistics amongst schools. I think that the fact that New Jersey gave random drug tests at the Middle School level is absurd only because I find it insane that Middle School students would even be considered suspects of drug abuse. But unfortunately, that is how the world is these days, and people are getting corrupted at a much younger age than ever before. Do I think this is an effective preventative measure? In general, no. Will this stop drug abuse? No. However, there is nothing any school or any official can do to completely stop it. I think that these random drug tests will be effective on a small scale, which is really all we can do.
I think that random drug testing is a great idea. It allows the school to discourage the use of drugs since students are unaware of when or if they will be tested. If someone has a serious problem with this then i believe they most likely trying to hide something. The drug testing is really not an invasion of privacy. They are testing only for illegal substances which you have no right to have in your system. I believe that in school your rights should be some what limited. Your actions do not only affect you but also those around you. If drug testing would help to make the schools a better place for the majority then I feel they have every right to test students. However, they can not only test students they suspect of drugs. If they want to do random drug testing they must make sure not to single out certain people. I do believe that random drug testing is a good idea and feel that this should be implemented in schools all throughout the country. It would help to control the incredible rise in drug abuse among teens.
I believe that schools are completely entitled to randomly drug test students to ensure a safe environment and promote good health. Although some think that random drug testing of students is a violation of privacy, I think that in this situation privacy must be sacrificed because the school possesses positive intentions. Some may think that middle school students are too young to be drug tested, but the fact is these students are using drugs on an ever-increasing level. If schools throughout the country start to implement random drug testing of students, I believe drug use will decrease significantly, as kids will become scared to get caught and face consequences. Despite the fact that this will not stop drug use entirely, as there are a number of students who simply don’t care about getting caught; drug testing of students will greatly limit the amount of drug used in and around schools.
Although I do agree that the drug problem teenagers are facing is a large problem, I'm kind of surprised that this district is finding the problem to start in the middle school. Although I'm not very familiar with it all, I think it is a good thing for the impact to be made early on that drugs are not an option. I don't think that it is a violation of a students civil rights if the parents have approved it, if parents don't agree that is a different story and will probably lead to a big head ache. I do think that this is what the future is going to be like. That our children will have these kinds of things at very early ages which to me is sad and really scary that young kids can be in such danger.
honestly, being against this is ridiculous. if the school feels that the safety of their students is in jeopardy due to drugs, then by all means should the school have a right to attempt to end it by any means necessary. its as simple as that. i feel that the school should test for drugs that are illegal however, and not drugs that are already very easily attainable by the open public. teenagers should not be doing drugs in the first place, so the school holding drug tests is just another measure to make sure the students are staying healthy.
It is absolutely not a violation to anyone's civil rights. Jersey has not gone too far, and I think they've gone just far enough. I don't think there's anything wrong with drug testing at a middle school level. Maybe depending on the type of town a school's located in drug testing should be moved up to a high school level. If you drug test early on you can make a difference in some kid's life. Children have an entire lifetime ahead of them to live a strong and successful life, and more and more of them are throwing it away to drugs and alcohol. Catch these mistakes early on, and the situation is hopefully completely under control. I understand that it should be the parents who step up and take the initiative to prevent their kids form using drugs, but this doesn't always work for whatever reason. Drug testing doesn't hurt anyone, and could potentially help so many. I support drug testing at middle schools/ high schools...
I think this is quite rediculous, its middle school how many kids are on drugs. I can see using a scare tactic on the kids to help prevent drug probelms and even drug testing at the high school level but testing students on the middle school level is crossing the line. Many high schools will drug test athletes because drugs intefere with the game. Many believe random drug testing is a violation of ones privacy but I believe in the school setting its in their rights to protect their students.
Usually, I would think it's ridiculous to drug test kids in a middle school setting, but with the problems of today, I find it completely necessary. Everyone now has the mindset that drugs are to coolest thing. Kids should be well educated about drugs at an early age and should be drug tested at an early age to show an example that authorities want the drug problem in our country to end.
-Danielle Johnson
I do not think the random drug testing is a bad idea. Is it invasive of other peoples privacy? Yes, but it is for the better. The school is trying to stop the young teens from using drugs. The drugs the kids may or may not be taking are illegal and the school is trying their best to put a stop to it all now while they are young. The only thing that confuses me is the fact that they are drug testing the middle school students...what about the high school students. I think it is more of a problem with the older kids than it is with the younger ones. And lastly, this may not work. The young students these days are very good at hiding their habits. They can get around the rules without anybody knowing. But i do think that it is a good idea all in all.
If it is a huge problem in a certain school, then there is really no problem if they feel the need to do tests. However, I feel they're a little pointless, a waste of time and money. We've had tons of drug dogs and police and presentations but i don't feel like it really changes anything. The moderately small group of people who want to do those types of things keep doing them despite these dogs. And honestly, I don't think thats a huge problem. If they want to, that's their choice, however they should keep it out of the school. Why have it in your lockers and why do it in bathrooms? I think it's the students' responsiblity.
I do not believe that this is a big deal. Nobody should be doing drugs and if you decide to you need to pay the consequences. There is a very easy way to not get caught or get in trouble for doing drugs and thats not to do them! If your so scared of getting caught then maybe you shouldnt be doing drugs in the first place. I think its necessary to do random drug tests and try to lessen the number of kids in schools that are doing them to create a better atmosphere for thr students who go there.
I think the concept is a smart one. However, I don't think this is the way to go about it. Obviously drugs are very unhealthy and random drug testing would definitely put some sort of a stop to it (in schools), but I think this is an issue that should be dealt with at home. If kids are forced to take tests and they come back positive, the news will spread throughout the school and that students reputation will be ruined forever. Maybe they should've sent out letters to parents warning them that drugs are becoming a major problem and they should talk to their kids about it, and possibly drug test them at home, but doing it in school at random is not the way to go. It's not right that kids should take these tests without consent. If you don't want to you shouldn't have to. It doesn't automatically mean you've done or are doing drugs.
I think random drug tests for such young students are stupid and a waste of time. I believe random drug test are a violation of privacy. Sure, we want the students of our district to be clean and refrain from drugs and alcohol, but that will never happen. No matter how hard the schoolboard tries to prevent drug abuse there is only one solution, good parenting and home family life. A child who was brought up right will refrain from drugs and alcohol especially at such a young age. In fact, I believe random drug test will encourage students to take drugs. These test will anger the students causing them to rebel. Passing a drug test is a simple as obtaining clean urine from your friend. Drug test are pointless and a waste of time. School district should be focusing more on the high school level for more heavy drug such as heroine, because that can be dangerous to a society.
I think that randomly drug testing at the middle school level is a good way for students to become educated about drugs. If middle school students see and experience the consequences of drug use at an early age it may be more likely that the frequency of use at the high school level is lower. I don't think that it is a violation of privacy because school administrators are responsible for the overall well being of the school and drug use takes away from that wellbeing. It is sad to see that kids that young have to be tested, but schools must face the reality.
If they are randomly drug testing students thats not against the law as long as it is random. I think that its kind of useless to perform random drug tests i know that kids are starting to do drugs at younger and younger ages but even if they are starting to do drugs in middle school drug testing wont stop them from doing drugs forever they'll either stop until ninth grade or probably just keep doing them anyway. The point is kids are going to experiment with drugs no matter what i mean just look at our school. I think the only truly "effective" method of prevention is to make sure to give kids the facts about drugs and why they are dangerous, because in the end its their decision and thats all you can do.
At first I thought this was actually a good idea to prevent early drug use but, it could backfire and be more destructive than beneficial. Kids could retaliate and not cooperate or fear going to school provoking them to start skipping school. It is imperative that New Jersey comes up with a less direct way of trying to prevent drug use.
Drug testing in middle schooled seems like it would be a good way to prevent them from doing drugs. Kids are starting younger and younger to do drugs and honestly i dont think that random drug testing is going to prevent it. If they want to do drugs then they will continue to do it or just wait until they are out of middle school and in the ninth grade. Also teenagers tend to be rebells, they will do what ever is "cool" and if doing drugs is cool then they will do it in order to fit in. Random drug testing may also be beneficial because the teens dont want to get caught, but like i said before if they want to do it, or they are already addicted to it then most likely nothing is going to stop them.
Yes, it should be illegal to randomly drug test people. If there's a problem at the middle school level maybe there should be exceptions. A drug problem that begins that early may never be fixed. Drugs have become a big problem in our country and even closer to home, our town. There are drugs everywhere now at the middle school and high school levels. This could help prevent some drug use among teens, but I don't think it will be able to stop most of it. Kids will be kids and they'll do what they want. It's sad but it's the truth and that's how it is.
Giving students random drug tests seems like an effective way to stop young students from taking illegal drugs. There is no doubt in my mind that this is going to be the wave of the future. Random drug tests are going to be THE way to keep drugs out of our schools today. Furthur more I beleive that random drug tests should be active as soon as possible in ALL schools. Hopefully the presure of systematic dicipline as well as presure from these students parents will be able to keep them away from drug use, especially at such young ages.
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