WHY PUNISH THE CLARINET PLAYER?

Our View - Random drug tests should be used for only athletes, all students
or none at all.

Riding the coattails of President George W. Bush's random drug testing
plan, at least eight school districts nationwide have taken up testing
students in extracurricular activities other than sports, such as band,
debate and yearbook.

Of course, drug testing is not a new practice in high school. Athletic
departments usually conduct random testing of their athletes under the
auspices of discouraging steroid use. Schools can justify this targeted
testing because they must ensure that all student athletes compete with the
same edge. Schools decided to extend the testing to not all students but
only those participating in extracurricular activities; however, they drew
a lot of criticism, mostly from parents.

Parents, especially, are concerned about how their kids will be selected
for testing, and it is important to them that their kids don't feel
targeted. Many parents and students are not worried about it in as much as
the selection is done randomly. This is synonymous to the random searches
of purses and book bags for concealed weapons. The only difference is that
drug testing is for the student's individual welfare and searching for
weapons is for the safety of the entire school.

If students don't actually use drugs, then they have nothing to worry
about. There are however, a number of questions about rights that may be
pushed aside for this new procedure to work.

How effective can it be if the students who use drugs don't participate in
extracurricular activities? This is simply sending the message to them that
they are home free.

Student privacy poses another critical issue. Typically, students who test
positive are sent to a school counselor, and the police are not called.
Seldomly, a positive test results in suspension or expulsion. It will also
be difficult for schools to keep the word about positive testers quiet.

There is a legislation being pushed for testing of all students and not
just those in after-school activities. This would more effectively reduce
student drug use.

The bottom line is random drug testing should be for only athletes, all
students or none.