It was mentioned in a letter that if a student has nothing to hide then they should willingly submit to drug tests. It was also stated that the case would not stand on appeal. That may be true but what I think is the central idea here is that students that participate in sports, clubs, etc. are far less prone to substance abuse than those who are outside the system.
Since the stated goal of this testing was supposedly to help kids in trouble, I think it is clear that they are targeting the wrong group of kids. I think this exposes the lie of the stated goal, the true aim of which is something less noble and altruistic. If they want to make a dent in substance abuse they should target the kids that are likely to have esteem and other psychological issues. The focus should be on treatment and positive reinforcement, not on punishment and exposure. Kids need to feel they can come forward with their problems without fear of being pushed into a system that has nothing to do with understanding, forgiveness and healing. Substance abuse often is a marker for deeper problems that, if properly addressed, can put wayward people back on track.
I think it's impressive that this kid had the guts to stand up to this kind of big government style intrusion. Solutions begin at home but when done in the public arena, require a gentler hand to truly work. Solutions need to happen before the abuse begins, in school classrooms and at home.
S. Brink
Trout Run
Submitted by Virtual Newsroom
