A BRAINLESS PLAN

State Sen. Mike Fair, R-Greenville, is drawing up legislation that would require South Carolina teachers to undergo random testing for illegal drug use. He calls the proposal a "no-brainer.'

If by that he means it's a brainless plan, he's got a point. There is no indication Palmetto State teachers, as a group, have any serious problems with drugs. We don't need solutions to problems that don't exist.

Random drug testing would not only be pointless, but a waste of taxpayers' money. It is not a safety-sensitive job, such as driving a school bus where drug testing is required.

More importantly, random drug testing is a gross invasion of privacy. With teacher shortages growing, why create another disincentive not to enter the profession?

Random drug testing implies distrust of those being tested. If anything, teachers need more trust, not less. Schools started going down hill when administrators and lawmakers eroded much of the classroom authority teachers used to be entrusted with.

Fair's legislation also calls for tougher background checks of teacher applicants - that does make sense, even though most school districts seem to be doing a good job of their own on that score.

The background check provides the opportunity to find out if a job-seeker has had a drug problem. It would not be unreasonable to require random testing as a condition of employment if a teacher does have such a history. But that's the only situation where it would be justified.