Colo. School District Mulls Random Drug Testing

[Babyblue]

As would I.

Meth was a huge problem around here until the last year or so, and now heroin has taken the lead in the problem. Had a 16 year old student from the local high school die last week from an OD. The hospital is seeing a record number of overdoses over the last year.

I do not understand it.

I just do not.

It is crazy!!

I have known people that have destroy their lives over it. I always make a point to my children on what it does.

Just seems like these kids are doing it younger, and younger nowadays.

 

[jillio]

that is such depressing news! Is that something I have to look forward to when my daughter enters her teenaged year? I am just becoming more and more paranoid about her lately...

I'll tell you, girl, I'm glad my son is out of the teen aged years. Now I have nieces and nephews to worry about, though. It really is scary. It seems like every day we hear of another drug bust within 50 miles of here, and so many of them involve high school students.

I think its more important than ever to talk, talk, talk honestly with our kids, and never fall into the trap of believing "It could never happen to my kid." or thinking it is a problem that belongs to the uneducated, the poor, the inner city, or the single parent home.

 

[jillio]

I do not understand it.

I just do not.

It is crazy!!

I have known people that have destroy their lives over it. I always make a point to my children on what it does.

Just seems like these kids are doing it younger, and younger nowadays.

The age is scary. And also the fact that it crosses all lines.

 

[Dixie]

I don' have a problem with randomized testing as long as it applies to ALL students in the district - not just the ones in extracurricular activities - and not just singled out for the way they look or their parent's financial status.

For random drug testing to work it has to be truly randomized. The same as drawing names from a hat. I think a computer should be set up to spit out a random number. Whichever student with that number will be asked to pee in a cup.

 

[jillio]

I don' have a problem with randomized testing as long as it applies to ALL students in the district - not just the ones in extracurricular activities - and not just singled out for the way they look or their parent's financial status.

For random drug testing to work it has to be truly randomized. The same as drawing names from a hat. I think a computer should be set up to spit out a random number. Whichever student with that number will be asked to pee in a cup.

Actually, I agree that it needs to randomized school wide. But they can make submitting to randomized screening a requirement for participation in an extracurricular activity, as long as the parents and children are informed and sign off on consent that it will be instituted as a requirement for participation in extracurricular activities.

 

[Dixie]

so your saying out of an entire population we select a sample of students in extracurriculars for simple random selection. only problem is, does that sample truly reflect the whole of the population.

I would be more concerned about the students NOT in extracurriculars than the students in extracurriculars. Those are the ones that typically fall through and turn to drugs.

Even in large schools such as Russellville High School in AR where the graduating class has 500 students and there is a club for everything including Football, Basketball, Track, Cross Country, Soccer, Tennis, Band, Choir, Orchestra, Baseball, Volleyball, Cheer, Drill Team, Golf, Gymnastics, Swim Team, Wrestling, Yearbook Staff, Horticulture Club, Computer Club, Beta Club, JROTC, Art Club, Spanish Club, French Club, Drama/Thespians Club, High School Rodeo Team, etc. The list goes on for pages.

Even in a school that large with a wide range of activities, its fair to say that the majority of students are not involved in extracurricular activities, especially now in tough economic times when parents simply cannot afford to pay the fees.

If a school imposes drug testing it, should be for ALL students. It's the best step towards ensuring the campus remains drug free if all students know and understand that they may be searched for drugs and drug paraphernalia and will face expulsion, a trip to a juvenile detention facility where they will have a judge decide their fate. And the student will not be allowed to return to the district until their sentence has been completely served and the judge writes a letter stating the student is fit to return to the school to be reintroduced to the student body as a meaningful contributor.

 

[jillio]

so your saying out of an entire population we select a sample of students in extracurriculars for simple random selection. only problem is, does that sample truly reflect the whole of the population.

I would be more concerned about the students NOT in extracurriculars than the students in extracurriculars. Those are the ones that typically fall through and turn to drugs.

Even in large schools such as Russellville High School in AR where the graduating class has 500 students and there is a club for everything including Football, Basketball, Track, Cross Country, Soccer, Tennis, Band, Choir, Orchestra, Baseball, Volleyball, Cheer, Drill Team, Golf, Gymnastics, Swim Team, Wrestling, Yearbook Staff, Horticulture Club, Computer Club, Beta Club, JROTC, Art Club, Spanish Club, French Club, Drama/Thespians Club, High School Rodeo Team, etc. The list goes on for pages.

Even in a school that large with a wide range of activities, its fair to say that the majority of students are not involved in extracurricular activities, especially now in tough economic times when parents simply cannot afford to pay the fees.

If a school imposes drug testing it, should be for ALL students. It's the best step towards ensuring the campus remains drug free if all students know and understand that they may be searched for drugs and drug paraphernalia and will face expulsion, a trip to a juvenile detention facility where they will have a judge decide their fate. And the student will not be allowed to return to the district until their sentence has been completely served and the judge writes a letter stating the student is fit to return to the school to be reintroduced to the student body as a meaningful contributor.

No, that is not what I am saying at all. I am saying that the policy should be instituted school wide, and be truly random (check my previous posts). All I am saying in the above post is that many schools do institute a policy of random drug testing as a requirement of participation in extra-curricular activities. When it is written into the school policy as a requirement for participation in extra-curricular activities, it is perfectly legal.

And, we need to also keep in mind, that if a school suspects that a student is bringing illegal substances onto school grounds, or is intoxicated by an illegal substance on school grounds, they have the right to search that student's belongings, their locker, and turn the student over to authorities no matter what that student's status.