DRUG TESTING A POOR WEAPON

Despite last month's decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that it's OK for
schools to test students involved in extracurricular activities for drug
use, no one should jump on the testing bandwagon.

The 5-4 decision, authored by Justice Clarence Thomas, said that students
leave any expectation of privacy at the door when they join a sports team,
musical group or club. The loss of privacy of drug tests is "not
significant," he said.

Maybe so (though it's not a convincing argument), but the cost of
drug-testing - in dollars and in lost student trust - would be very
significant. More important, it wouldn't solve the real problem because
there is no reason to believe that active students are more likely to be
using drugs than uninvolved students. In fact, the opposite seems a more
reasonable theory.

Washoe and Douglas county school officials wisely said they have no plans
to start testing for drugs. Carson, on the other hand, is seriously
considering tests. Unless they can show a real problem that can be solved
by drug tests, however, Carson would be wise to follow the other districts'
lead. In the war on drugs, testing is a poor weapon.