Students Tested for Tobacco Use

Newsday.com ^ | October 7, 2002 | By GREG GIUFFRIDA

[metesky]

VESTAVIA HILLS, Ala. -- Breath mints won't cut it anymore for students who have been smoking in the bathroom -- some schools around the country are administering urine tests to teenagers to find out whether they have been using tobacco.

Opponents say such testing violates students' rights and can keep them out of the extracurricular activities they need to stay on track. But some advocates say smoking in the boys' room is a ticket to more serious drug use.

[metesky]

This should be grist for a lot of mills...

[Jeff Gordon Fan]

you should see the cloud of smoke comming from where the junior park their cars. I walk through it everyday at my school. I think it is stupid for them to start smoking at such a young age. I belive that you can smoke, but only when you are 18. Most people that smoke in our junior class are 16 and I think that it is a waste of money and time, but hey at least they are making my taxes stay where they are and not go up.

[metesky]

The drug web spreads.

Coming soon to a vice near you.

[dead]

"I agree with it," said 16-year-old Vestavia Hills High School junior Rosemary Stafford, a member of the marching band. "It's illegal, it's addictive. Maybe the punishment shouldn't be as severe, but they should test for it."

Another serf in search of a tyrant.

She’ll make a great addition to the WODdie team.

[Orual]

Did you ever seem to have one of those days
When everyone seemed to be on your case
From your teacher all the waydown to your best girlfriend

Well that used to happen to me all the time
But I found a way to get out of it
Sittin' in the classroom thinkin' it's a drag
Listening to the teacher rap just ain't my bag
When two bells ring you know it's my cue
Gonna meet the boys on floor number 2

Smokin' in the boys room
Smokin' in the boys room
Teacher don't you fill me up with your rules
Everybody knows that smokin' ain't allowed in school

Checkin' out the halls makin' sure the coast is clear
Lookin' in the stalls--nah, there ain't nobody here
My buddies Sixx, Mick & Tom
To get caught would surely be the death of us all

Smokin' in the boys room
Smokin' in the boys room
Teacher don't you fill me up with your rules
Everybody knows that smokin' ain't allowed in school

Put me to work in the school bookstore
Check-out counter, and I got bored
Teacher was lookin' for me all around
Two hours later you know where I was found

Smokin' in the boys room
Smokin' in the boys room
Teacher don't you fill me up with your rules
Everybody knows that smokin' ain't allowed in school

[bonfire]

5 years ago my son had to go to COURT for smoking in the school parking lot. I remember when my H.S. had a smoking courtyard! IMO, it's a way for the courts to make a buck. I believe my son had to pay $200 fine.

[jae471]

And what about students who are exposed to a lot of second-hand smoke...

[NittanyLion]

5 years ago my son had to go to COURT for smoking in the school parking lot. I remember when my H.S. had a smoking courtyard! IMO, it's a way for the courts to make a buck. I believe my son had to pay $200 fine.

It's conditioning folks early in life. The sooner they learn that government knows what's in their own best interests, the better...

[bonfire]

Well, the government is losing. Bunch of teenagers out in my cul-de-sac right now smokin' away.......

[ladylib]

Are you from Texas? They pull a lot of that crap in Texas. You know, land of the free, home of the brave. I believe the fines are split between the school so they can pay the goon squad and the county.

[metesky]

I agree with all your points, young man, but I'm looking at all the money stolen from smokers in the last ten years of this sanctimonious fraud of education programs, money the smokers and the public have been defrauded of.

Are these kids so disruptive that they deseve to be treated as criminals or do they happen to have picked up an adult vice a few years early?

Why I bet they swear and disrespect "authority" too.

By the way I'm glad to see that at you're earning enough at your age to be paying taxes.

We don't see much of that any more.

Welcome to a lifetime of misery.
;O)

[Lexington Green]

We must protect the children from bad diet too - Heart disease is the number one killer - We must give the children bloodtests to check their cholesterol.

Oh yeah... and we must teach the children to crap in their own hand so our nannies can check for proper fiber content.

[freeeee]

Tobacco is illegal for them to have -- it's also a health and safety issue," said Phil Hastings, supervisor of safety and alternative education for schools in Decatur

Since schools like to give multiple choice questions, let's pose a few to our friend Phil:

Q: Your job is:

A. Law Enforcement Officer
B. Nanny
C. Educator

Q: Keeping at-risk students out of extra-curricular activities will:

A. Further alienate at-risk students
B. Take away a positive activity that will create idle, unsupervised time to be filled with assorted negative and destructive behaviors
C. All of the Above

I think Phil's going to flunk this one. Back to the books, bub.

[bonfire]

Yes, I live in TX! TX has become land of the P.C. Soon they will pass laws against smoking on your own property.

[metesky]

And what about students who are exposed to a lot of second-hand smoke...

You and JGF should get together, he's worried about smoke clouds in the parking lot.

[bonfire]

BTW, kids aren't allowed to wear all black here either.

[metesky]

No logic allowed.

You're trying to disrupt the class.

[headsonpikes]

I think this is great news!

What better means of separating the sheep from the goats at an early age?

If this doesn't alienate the kids and teach them to despise the authorities, nothing will!

LOL!

[Jeff Gordon Fan]

Well those smokers who steal money from the courts are stupid and the juries who allow them money is crazy all in itself.

I don't think that my peers are criminals but in all essonce they dissrupt the people in the community. I park along side a road that connects to main arteries, no houses no problem. But my main concern is that the majority of the "cool" or "in" crowd pople park on residental streets where hard working individuals are trying to leave and make a living. They park in fron tof their houses and disrupt their lives by standing in congregations and lighting up. I have no problem with them paying the 50 cents or whatever to the state government, but you can see that huge cloud of smoke from at least 50 yards away and it gets on my clothes as well. people think im a smoker and its just not my thing and my group of "nerdy" or smart people tend to disown me because they think I smoke.

Most of the students who smoke actually disrespect students like me and even the teachers. But i also do that time to time correcting one of my liberal teachers when they go off on some subject liek attacking Iraq or this NJ thing.

I'm also proud to have a part time job working 8 hours a week at out retirement community as a host. I see my money shrink as the taxes take more and more money. Welcome to a lifetime of misery. I'm already miserable I have to deal with teachers and grades, you don't know the half of it when i wear my SORE LOSERMAN shirt to school.

[widowithfoursons]

The smoking block in HS used to be a fixture. I cannot recall any complaints being made by any non smoking student.