Drug testing kids

Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer defended the court's decision to allow schools to test students for drug use, calling it "a reasonable way to stop children from experimenting with narcotics."

He said drug testing for participation in extracurricular activities helps people who don't want to use drugs. A student ''can say to his friends, `Well, I want to go out for sports next year, well, I want to join the debate team, well, I want to be on the newspaper, so you see I can't.' ''

Drug Czar John Walters clearly agrees.

And schools everywhere from Texas to Illinois to North Carolina are showing a disturbing interest in their students' urine.

But it doesn't work. Reports Saturday's New York Times:

[A] new federally financed study of 76,000 students nationwide, by far the largest to date, found that drug use is just as common in schools with testing as in those without it.

Comments

[been there]

Assuming that Justice Breyer et al's motives are noble, that they believe this is a powerful tool for teenagers of today in refusing offers of illicit drugs; isn't it a little scary to anyone else that a Supreme Court justice is so far detached from the reality of the situation?

Assuming that the motives are less noble- I get curious about the nature of Breyer's relationship, as well as that of Mr. Walters (among others), with the people who profit from the distribution, training, administration and analysis of the drug tests & results? Who are those people anyway? Who gets federal money to support and proliferate these testing systems?

Most of the people I remember who were involved with sports/clubs in high school were drinking. The same was true of most kids in debate and other activities, the more exclusive the club, the more likely there was excessive drinking/drugging at events. Anyone who didn't want to use simply didn't.

I suspect the same is true of such kids today- if they already have the social skills to participate in such activities, then they are likely to be capable of making rational decisions without the 'extra motivation' of a Federally mandated/subsidized boot in the face- or cup in the groin.This does not preclude exceptions, nor the simple fact that teenagers are by their very nature risk-takers and adventurers.

We are testing the wrong people. If they want to catch drug users, they should be testing the kids who do not participate in any afterschool activities. This would have the added effect of driving kids who are using into sports or clubs to avoid testing- exactly where you want them- closer to role models who are able to socially inteact as well as teacher/parent sponsors and instructors. (Just kidding, we shouldn't be testing kids without cause & both child and parental consent)

What is the sports/club particpation rate spread between drug testing and non-drug testing schools?

[Plutarck]

Great idea - drive kids who are more interested in drugs than supervised public social activities (if the two must be mutually exclusive) into isolation. Brilliant plan, oh wise and noble wearers of nightly gowns (and their ilk).

Clearly this is why they are in positions of national authority and I am not, for never can I imagine myself creating and implementing a plan to make the effects of drug abuse even WORSE - and render the benefits of responsible drug use more meager - for those who least need more harm done to them.

[Xmas]

Of course, just because the kids passed a piss test doesn't mean they don't take drugs. 🙂

There should also be the concern that private medical conditions could be picked up by the tests.

Johnny's on steroids! He can't participate in the debate team! But Johnny's on steroids to help with his hereditary auto-immune disease, etc. etc.

[digamma]

"[A] new federally financed study of 76,000 students nationwide, by far the largest to date, found that drug use is just as common in schools with testing as in those without it."

Let's be fair here. Isn't it possible that the schools with drug testing initiated the testing in response to widespread drug use? In which case we have no idea how much drug use there would have been had testing not been in place.

[Russ]

Get 'em while they don't have any rights.

[Sandy]

Does anybody know if Mr. Breyer is tested regularly as part of his Supreme Court appointment, and if not, why not?

What's he hiding, hmmmm??

[Anonymous]

first they came for the drug users... 'bout friggin' time!

[RS]

Personally I was a dope-smoking jock in school and the idea of testing disgusts me. However, my wife & sister are middle school teachers who have had 12 year olds who show up to school stoned every day. When parents were told that little Johnny was a stoner, they said prove it and threatened to sue. so my question is what exactly can you do to help Johnny if his parents aren't parents without destroying civil liberties?

[Anonymous]

become the governor of florida, heheh.

[Lonewacko]

They're just preparing them for their jobs at Xerox and the many other corps that drug-test their employees.

[Brian]

This is just another item on the list of a thousand reasons why the government shouldn't be in the education business...

...but realizing that public schools are a reality, is there any precident for schools regulating the behavior of students outside of school hours, grounds, and activities? (I'm sure there there is and that it is equally outragous.) I have no problem with the schools enforcing a rule against intoxication at school...and if they want to drug test students whom they suspect of violating that rule in the process, then so be it. Not only is this a lesser invasion of privacy, it's a lot more cost-effective. Drug tests aren't free, after all.

[Anonymous]

acording to the dingbats here you have a "right to privacy" but no right to speech, guns, etc. what a friggen joke!

[lenny]

and look at what happens to the kids when they just say no to testing - the supposed adults go ballistic on them as though they admitted guilt.
it's time to hold judges accountable for their actions, starting with mr. breyer. drug testing is not a function of government - let all drug testing be paid with the supreme court budget if mr. breyer wants it enforced.

[Xmas]

Hey kids, its indoctrination time!!!!

Take these cups and fill them with your urine!!! Because we say you must!!!

Do not question us, or else you'll be considered a drug user!!!

It's a little frightening, isn't it.

[dude]

Ok kids, listen up.

The illegal drug pee test line forms up here.

The Ritalin, Prozac, Xanax, and Zoloft distribution line forms up here.

[RS]

A bit late, but I agree Brian that you proposed the only viable solution (with a catch). Across the board or random testing should never be allowed. Either you can do the work or not, whether at school or at the workplace. But if a pre-teen is zoning out every day during class and can't get it done, the teacher should be given the tools to do something about it. If the parents are unsupportive, I guess a drug test would be the only legal way to take real steps to address the problem. But at some point we have to rely less on the government making laws to (failingly) attempt to solve our problems. But this would require empowering teachers to act on their own in such situations, without fear of lawsuits, triage, etc. And in the end I don't think that level of trust is there for a billion of reasons.

[david f]

hey Dude!

check out the onion's story about SSRIs...

cheers,
drf

theonion.com/onion3918/pfizer_launches.html

[Steve in CO]

When will the maddness end?

Never, if the testing industry and moralist drug warriors continue to hold sway.

Sad, but true.

[Steve]

And shame on the parents who allow their children to be treated this way.

[Anonymous]

http://www.blacktable.com/fifer030508.htm

---
This is not to say that Frey's novel does not work well as a cautionary tale. Despite the violence, sex and profanity in the book, high school systems around the country would do well to replace their worn-out filmstrips and videos on the dangers of substance abuse with a few choice moments from this memoir. Frey vomiting up parts of his stomach every morning, even after days of sober time, because of the extensive damage he has done to his body. The image of Lilly, the love interest -- the sweet, fragile, wounded Lilly -- sucking an old man's cock for crack mere hours after leaving rehab. And, of course, the devastating last page, which demonstrates quite effectively the abysmally low percentage of addicts who actually recover.

[Croesus]

I believe Breyer is at the forefront of a campaign to teach America's youth about our liberties, etc. The curriculum is everything hagiography should be. 🙂

[Bethany]

So they say students will stay off of drugs because they know they won't be able to do sports if they test positive for drugs. But chances are a student will choose drugs and friends of a chance to play on a sports team or anything else.

[abby]

people who do drugs won't be stupid to try out for sports.instead randomly select a school with 3kids who play sports and then 3kids who don't you fine out

[abby]

people who do drugs won't be stupid to try out for sports.instead randomly select a school with 3kids who play sports and then 3kids who don't you fine out

[abby]

people who do drugs won't be stupid to try out for sports.instead randomly select a school with 3kids who play sports and then 3kids who don't you fine out