VICTORY FOR FOURTH AMENDMENT

Give kudos to the Williamsburg-James City County School Board for striking
down mandatory random drug testing of students. Such a pervasive measure to
prevent drug abuse may have good intentions, but would send the wrong
message to our children. That message is one of dependency on government to
protect us from harm.

Sure, drugs are destructive and terrorists are scary, but when I look
at the world, I see dictatorships in China, North Korea, Laos, Vietnam
and Zimbabwe. The fact is that government is our biggest threat. Our
Bill of Rights and our Constitution free us from the most powerful
organization in the world - our government. We can debate the Fourth
Amendment's protection against search and seizure without probable
cause, but all sides must agree that we cannot simply enact new
legislation to protect our rights.

Forcing all students to submit to drug testing is overwhelmingly
authoritarian. If we do not fight today, our children will not fight
tomorrow. We cannot allow them to feel comfortable with their
government. We must adhere to the Bill of Rights.

Give praise to the School Board for not only protecting the children,
but also protecting their future.

Adam Lively

Newport News