Mandatory Drug Testing

[sinton66]

Sinton started today. All participants in extra curricular activities have to take a mandatory drug test this year. In the following years, only the incoming 7th graders will take a mandatory. The rest of the student body will undergo random testing of 20% of the organization population.

[3afan2K3]

Forney does them grades 7 and up

[sinton66]

Mandatory or random sample? (60,000 posts)

<small>[ August 04, 2003, 05:55 PM: Message edited by: sinton66 ]</small>

[JasperDog94]

I'm in favor of mandatory testing. These students represent the school. The last thing you want are a bunch of drug addicts representing you in public.

[Old Cardinal]

I say test them all! Students, Teachers, Coaches, Administrators, and Custodians....Its time to stop this drug problem! I work prison ministry and most crimes are somehow related to drugs, and/or booze! I think that to single out athletes only, is not a good idea, the general population students should not be allowed to come to school under the influence.

[Green Ranger]

Drug Testing has come a long way, in my opinion however has a long way to come. I agree that everybody needs to be tested however you run into two big problems. First of which being, unless it is completely random (IE no favorites or star athletes being over looked) and they are told one day and test the next. The second problem is the test itself. The good ones are very expensive and should something be detected, it is my understanding the student then must pay for the second one and/or pay the consquences. With this in mind, that is a large junk of cash for a tests that have shown positives for people who have had a hamburger with poppy seeds on it at the same time not reading some of the athletic enhancing drugs yet. If you can find a unbasis, effective, cheap, and thorough drug test go for it, until that time I think it is more of a hassle than a help. Just my two cents.

[Chief Woodman]

Green ranger-
I work as a firefighter and take drug screens all the time. They are a lot more accurate than most folks think. (forget the poppy seed excuse, it does not show up on good ones). One issue is COST. With some districts having a pay to play fee, the thought of testing the entire school population is a very expensive suggestion. Question is...are those who pay the bills (taxpayers) willing to fund this project, or is this an issue that sounds good till we realize how much it costs? Just food for thought.....

[sinton66]

I'm not sure yet who is paying for ours, but I'm thinking the mandatory test will become a part of the required physical to enter extra curricular activities the first time (7th grade). Afterwards, each student will participate in a random 20% sampling. The article I read said Sinton is doing urine samples, dividing it into two sealed containers. Then, they are sent to a "government lab". The two containers are so a second test can be done if necessary.

[Green Ranger]

The majority of test that schools can afford are the cheaper test which to pick up things like poppy seeds. IThey are very non-specific and very touchy so to speak. I have heard of it first hand so it does happen. One such case, a kid had to pay for the second test, and proved it was the poppy seed and sued the school board for the time he lost playing his senior year because of it. The other thing that I was getting at earlier is random is not that random, nine out of ten times it is skip the all-star and randomly pick the bench warmer that you have no need for. I agree completely and hopefully in the near future a good test that catches in performance enhancing drugs will be developed and administered. But until that time, I think it is a waste of time and money and it is randomly fair. Again my two cents.

[Old Tiger]

JasperDog94:
I'm in favor of mandatory testing. These students represent the school. The last thing you want are a bunch of drug addicts representing you in public.I agree 100% with you JasperDog.