TEEN VIEW: DRUG TESTING PROTECTS STUDENTS

Some things come with a price. At a school in Oklahoma, students who
participate in extracurricular activities are subjected to random drug
tests. This is a price, but is this price constitutional?

In my opinion, it is. The student is not being forced to take the drug test
because extracurricular activities are not required for graduation. The
student is asking for a special privilege. If a school can keep a student
out of sports and clubs because of grades, can it not keep a student out
because of drugs when drugs are much more serious than failing a class?

Also, when a student wants to participate in the activity, he or she is
applying for a job. Employers are allowed to give drug tests because the
use of drugs could hurt the reputation of their business. The same applies
for a school. The student could bring drugs on a trip that the club takes
and could cause harm to the reputation of the school.

This not only would have a negative impact on the school, but on the
community. Kids look up to high school students for what is cool to look
like, say and do. If a 10-year-old sees the star player of the basketball
team smoke pot, then what does that tell him? It's OK to do it, and, more
importantly, it's cool to do it.

There are also dangers to other students, especially for athletes. Imagine
this:

You are an athlete in a local high school. Someone comes from another
school and he breaks his nose in the course of the game. Some of the blood
is wiped on you. They find out later that the student has been using drugs.
He has shared a needle with someone. He is having tests done to see if he
has AIDS. Don't you wish that they had done a drug test on him? This is a
possibility in today's world.

This brings me to another question that could be asked: What about random
searches? I have no problem with this, either. Since Sept. 11, security
everywhere has been heightened. Why should schools be any different?

School is supposed to be preparing us for the real world. If someone were
to refuse a drug test for a job, then he would not get the job because of
suspicion that he uses drugs. School is our job; therefore, the
administrators are our employers and they must watch out for the safety of all.

My rights end where yours begin, and if I put you in danger, I am imposing
on your rights. With drugs, there are always dangers.