LINE MUST NEVER BE MOVED

If anyone had told me ten years ago that drug testing would become part of
everyday life for high school students, I would have told them they were crazy.

But, that is exactly what is happening.

Drug screenings are now mandatory for every student at Fannin County High
School who drives to school or takes part in any school-sponsored activity,
which includes everything from athletics to extra-curricular clubs and
organizations. And, any parent of a student not covered under the policy
can request that their child also be tested.

The mandatory testing starts July 13. Students need to have the tests done
then, or on the 15th or 20th, to be ready when school starts. If a student
misses the first round of tests and waits until the makeup date Aug. 14,
then that student won't be driving to school or taking part in
extracurricular activities as classes move through their first week.

After these first announced tests are held, students can expect to be
randomly tested throughout the year.

Drug screenings are part of a new school board policy to "take positive
action in the handling of incidents involving the possession, sale,
distribution and or use of behavior-affecting substances," according to the
policy. Those words are likely a very nice, politically correct way of
saying what board members actually decided in adopting the policy. Likely,
the prevailing thought was something along the lines of, "O.K., we've got a
problem and we're going to do something about it before it gets worse."

The fact is a drug problem does exist, if for no other reason than drugs
have found their way onto the school campus. The size of the problem might
be debatable, but the problem itself is not. So something had to be done -
like it or not.

When I first heard about the policy, I leaned a little toward the "or not"
side. Drug testing could easily cross the line between the public good and
personal privacy.

As with any situation, both sides had to be weighed and weighed carefully.
That "weighing" put the effort in perspective and brought me into agreement.

The fact is the current drug testing policy affects privileges, not rights.
There is a big difference.

Students have a right to an education, but driving to school, playing
sports and taking part in extracurricular activities are privileges. Rights
are inherent to being American, privileges are earned and as such can be
taken away for the good of others.

Submitting to drug testing is something students must do to hold onto their
privileges.

Even then, I believe most students taking advantage of extracurricular
privileges are not the ones necessarily using drugs. I would dare to bet,
they are the students least likely to try, and much less use,
behavior-altering substances.

That thought goes back to my strong belief that a young person is far less
likely to experiment with drugs, or alcohol, or get into any mischief, if
they are kept busy. Keeping them busy includes sports, extracurricular
activities and the responsibilities that come with driving a car.

So, while the school board's policy is a positive step, it does not target
where the real problem likely lies - students who do not have too much to do.

But, to target these students without their parents' consent would violate
their right to an education. And, the line must remain steadfastly drawn
between rights and privileges.

So, as has happened time and again, the majority of good guys are affected
because of a few bad guys. But, where rights and privileges can be
separated, doing something is better than doing nothing.

Glenn Harbison is publisher of The News Observer.