Drug tests OK for students in extracurricular ventures

Washington Times ^ | 6/28/02 | Frank J. Murray

[kattracks]

The Supreme Court yesterday cleared the way for schools to drug-test all children who join in extracurricular activities, such as the band, chess team, pompom squad or choir.

"The invasion of students' privacy is not significant," said the 5-4 decision, which freed school boards to require random testing among 7 million schoolchildren involved in voluntary programs.

[Vidalia]

Does "Back-Asswards" ring any bells?

[ganesha]

It would make little sense to require a school district to wait for a substantial portion of it's students to begin using drugs before it was allowed to institute a drug testing program.

Sounds like the department of precrime from "Minority Report"

[HiTech RedNeck]

The fact that these students are minors and that the school is acting "in loco parentis" (in the place of the parents) has a lot to do with this. A college could not get away with this.

[Linda Liberty]

I recall reading that in (at least) one of the moslem countries, I think (but am not sure) that it was Saudi Arabia, unmarried women are subject to random inspections for virginity. If they fail, they are given the choice of immediate marriage or a flogging.

I wonder what conservatives posting here in support of this drug testing decision think about this? How does this differ from drug testing? Wouldn't virginity inspections further the schools interest in ridding their campuses of illegal sex by minors? I gather many of you think paddling is an acceptable punishment for minors, so we could incorporate that aspect of the Saudi code as well, no?

[zoyd]

"The invasion of students' privacy is not significant," said the 5-4 decision, which freed school boards to require random testing among 7 million schoolchildren involved in voluntary programs.

I'm sure if a law were passed requiring Justices to pee in a cup every week, privacy concerns would suddenly become very 'significant'.