RANDOM DRUG TESTING INVADES STUDENTS' PRIVACY

The U.S. Supreme Court is considering a case from Oklahoma that might lead
to random drug testing for any high school student at any time.

In 1995 the court wrongly allowed testing for student athletes, and now it
might allow it for any extra-curricular activity, the idea being that if
you want to do anything besides go to school, someone can invade your
privacy at any time. This is wrong.

What does random mean? Do they use your Social Security number, your phone
number? Who decides when to do a random test? If someone in charge of the
tests doesn't like you, how many times can they test you before it is too
many? If you are the star athlete and you fail a drug test, how does anyone
know if it gets reported or not? If you fail drug tests enough times should
you get expelled from school? Where does it all end?

Parents can already drug test their children anytime they want, by going
out and buying the testing equipment that is available. Why does this need
to be done by our government? If we are so eager to give up the rights of
those too young to vote, we give up ours also.

Random drug testing at every level is flawed. This needs to be discarded
just like lie detector tests of the '80s. It really catches only marijuana
users, as almost all other drugs are water soluble. It is absolutely a
disgrace when a cup of your urine means more than you, your work ethic,
your personality and anything else. What happened to being innocent until
proven guilty?

Victor Till

Pekin