CHILDREN WORTH MORE THAN TEACHERS' RIGHTS

Once again the local papers are abuzz with letters regarding the drug
testing of teachers. When I was an employee of the Department of
Education, I wrote several letters to this paper and other
publications stating that I support drug testing and have always been
and will always be willing to submit to a random test at any time in
any place. If you don't have anything to hide, then you shouldn't be
afraid of the testing.

In response to letters which claim that the civil rights of teachers
are being violated, I must ask what about the civil rights of our
children in school? Don't they have the right to be taught by a
teacher who is drug free? Don't they have a right to be told by a
teacher that drugs are bad and know for a fact that the teacher
practices what he or she preaches? Don't parents have the right to
know that their children's classrooms aren't being used to move drugs
and that their children aren't being exposed to dangerous people
associated with drugs?

Considering the correlation between drug use (especially "ice") and
other crimes including assaults, robberies and even sexual crimes,
teachers who indulge in such a lifestyle put children at risk.

Let's remember who is most vulnerable here, the children. After all,
they don't have a union to represent them!

Shawn Lathrop

Waikoloa, Hawaii