MARANA HIGH SAMPLING SPLIT ON RANDOM DRUG TESTS

Replies From Students At Marana High School

What do you think about schools that conduct random, mandatory drug
tests of students? When is such testing a good idea, and when is it a
violation of students' privacy?

This week's answers come from Brian Johnson's government students at
Marana High School:

Mandatory drug testing is completely justified. By bringing drugs to
school or doing drugs in school, students are potentially endangering
their fellow classmates, not to mention that these are usually the
same students who repeatedly disrupt class and eventually fail all
their courses.

Stephanie Kennady, 17

Random drug testing should definitely be enforced in our schools
today. I don't think it really invades a student's privacy. If it
will benefit the school and other students, then it should be enforced.

Katie Murphy, senior

Random drug tests on students that are not athletes should not be
allowed. It's unnecessary and does violate the students' rights. The
only time this should be allowed is if a student is suspected of
doing drugs. Schools that do mandatory drug testing don't trust
their students and are performing illegal search and seizure.

Sarah Belknap, 17, senior

If you are going to join any sports activities, you should be
subjected to mandatory drug testing. Only because you are
participating in school sports. With the problems we have nowadays
with famous athletes taking drugs, performance drugs and illegal
drugs, schools should do mandatory drug testing.

Felicia Acevedo, 17, senior

If people involved in sports are tested for drugs, then every student
should be tested for drugs. The drug problem wouldn't be lessened
very much if only those involved in sports get tested.

Thomas Morris, 18, senior

I really don't think testing is a good idea. It's up to the person
doing drugs if they want to ruin their life. No matter what, even if
testing is done, they'll find a way to do it anyway.

Sarah Acton, 17, senior

It is a good idea for schools to have mandatory drug testing. The
schools could reduce the amount of people using drugs in school. It
wouldn't violate the Fourth Amendment because students are in a
government facility, paid for by taxes.

Jason Draper, 17, senior

The Fourth Amendment says you can't be searched or have anything
taken from you without proper authority. Schools should be able to
have random drug testing for athletes playing sports only. If they
are just random students, they shouldn't be subject to any drug tests.

Stephanie Altieri, 17, senior

It is justified when people believe you are on drugs. It doesn't
violate student privacy because the student is at the school and
knows the rules, so the student shouldn't be using before or during
school.

Tiffanie Call, 17, senior

Random drug tests are not violations of the Fourth Amendment because
it is being done at schools, which are funded by the states.
Urinating in a cup is not invading anyone's privacy because it is for
a good cause and they should be done once every month.

Jeremy Lawson, 18, senior

Mandatory drug testing is an invasion of privacy. In most schools
they do "random" drug testing, which means calling the most
stereotypical-looking "stoner" to take a test. It violates the Fourth
Amendment. It is understandable to test a student that always smells
like weed and is failing, but why test people that look different?

Jennifer Goucher, 17, senior

Tests should be like warrants, and authorities must have a good
reason to test us. Testing random people is unfair to us because it
is an inconvenience and there are only a select few who should be
subjected to tests.

Trevor Dimmick, 17, senior

They should use drug testing only for sports because they need to be
in good condition for whatever sport they play. You wouldn't want a
sports player to pass out while they're in the middle of the game and
they're playing sports for the school. It is none of their business
what a student does outside of school.

Erica Moore, 17, senior

Random drug tests would help fight the teenage drug problem. Only
those who have found themselves addicted or under the influence would
not want these kinds of tests.

Grace Farnsworth, 17, senior