RANDOM DRUG TESTS COMPROMISE FREEDOMS

Central Illinois educators considering random drug testing for their
students may achieve the deterrence value they desire, but they also risk
compromising the U.S. Constitution, no matter what cover the Supreme Court
has provided them. Now there's a civics lesson.

No one this side of sanity advocates drug and alcohol use among children.
Schools that take reasonable measures to discourage such poor choices are to
be applauded. But a proposal from the El Paso school district in Woodford
County that would randomly test sixth through 12th graders for drugs ought
to make every true blue American a bit queasy. Deer Creek-Mackinaw and
Kewanee high schools already do it.

Before another embarks down this slippery slope, perhaps a little pondering
is in order: First, these policies single out athletes and those who
participate in other extracurricular activities. If drug, alcohol and
tobacco use is bad, then isn't it bad for all students? Why isn't this
discriminatory?

Doesn't this run the risk of being counterproductive? Indeed, we thought the
idea was to encourage participation and self-improvement. So how is that
accomplished by making a student as young as 11 urinate in a jar in front of
a witness?

Moreover, these tests are random, impacting those whose behavior arouses
suspicion as well as those whose conduct and performance have done nothing
to justify such a procedure. How is that fair?

Ah, but extracurricular activities are a privilege, not a right. Kind of
like driving. Indeed, drunken or drugged adult drivers do more damage
collectively to themselves and others than just about any high school band.
Why not random roadside drug testing on I-39 and I-74, ev ery 10 vehicles,
24 hours a day? Your number comes up, get ready to share some body fluids.

And why let teachers and administrators off the hook? Why not give teachers
ongoing, random drug tests, since their performance in the classroom on a
daily basis is arguably far more important, in the long run, than a
student's pursuits on the baseball diamond?

"If you're not doing anything wrong, you don't have to worry about taking
the test," said one parent. Oh, and to how many situations can that logic be
applied? How about permitting police to enter your home without cause and
confiscating your belongings so they can assure themselves no crimes have
been committed? How about doctors sharing your medical history over the
Internet? Hey, if you've got nothing to hide, you've got nothing to fear.

Point is, Americans have become accustomed to enjoying certain privacy
rights. You surrender those rights for one group of people - notice it's
always the most vulnerable first, like public housing residents and students
- - and suddenly it becomes that much easier to fudge on the next target. And
pretty soon America doesn't feel very much like America anymore.

El Paso school officials have a legitimate concern, and we don't mean to
make light of their discussions. But this is a slippery slope that ends who
knows where. The easy acceptance of these concessions is discouraging.

One other thing. Sometimes we just have to trust people to do the right
thing, until their actions forfeit that faith. Policies like this, by their
nature, communicate a lack of confidence. Is it any surprise when the
behavior of our kids rises - or falls - to meet our expectations of them?