Drug Testing for the Scrap-Booking Club

Parents of a student in the Delaware Valley School District have threatened a law suit over the student drug testing policy that requires all students to be tested if they want to participate in sports, extra curricular activities or have campus parking permits.

The student in question wanted to be part of the scrap-booking club and her parents asked that she be exempt from the testing.

Parent Kathy Kiederer, who has debated privacy issues with the board before, was there following her letter asking that her daughter be exempted from drug testing to take part in a scrap-booking club. “I’ve written to ask an exemption and you haven’t changed the guidelines,” she said.

School District Makes Good/Bad Choices on Random Student Drug Testing

When Edmond School District officials in 2008 and 2009 unveiled a proposed random drug testing policy similar to one recently introduced by the Deer Creek School District, more than a dozen parents and school patrons showed up at a public forum saying they opposed the policy. About half that number spoke in favor of the testing.

More proof that it takes community involvement to oppose wasteful and invasive random student drug testing programs. If your school district is thinking about implementing one of these programs, contact SSDP and we'll help you speak out.

Sadly, this same school district is likely to implement a policy that will randomly test students involved in extracurricular activities like sports. Grant Gower is the head football coach at Deer Creek High School. In the 1990's he helped implement student drug testing program at Tecumseh High School which led to the Supreme Court Case, Earls v. Board of Education. He had this interesting tid-bit to say:

"At the core of the issue, we're trying to provide a safe environment for our students," he said. "There's no question that drugs are a part of society. There's not any place in America that is immune from the drug issue. We're trying to protect and keep our students in a safe environment. We're not out to catch anyone."

Ironically, allowing students to participate in extracurricular activities is exactly what provides them with a safe environment. This drug testing program will do nothing more than stop students from participating in such activities by, contrary to Mr. Gower's statements, catching them.

For a nostalgic (and hilarious) look back at arguments against drug testing, check out this awesome video of former SSDP Executive Director Kris Krane destroying a drug testing profiteer on Fox News.

Senator Aims to Force Drug Testing Upon Unemployed

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) has introduced an amendment that would require drug tests of anyone who applies for welfare or unemployment benefits. Under the 1996 Welfare Reform Act, states have the authority to enact drug testing requirements, but they are not mandated to conduct tests under current law.

"This amendment is a way to help people get off of drugs to become productive and healthy members of society while ensuring that valuable taxpayer dollars aren't wasted," says a press release from Hatch's office. "Money saved as a result of this amendment would be used to reduce the deficit."

The Hill noted that: "Under the Hatch amendment, individuals who fail to qualify for benefits because they failed a drug test wouldn't necessarily be jailed, but would be enrolled in a state or federal drug treatment program."

Linda Hilton of the Crossroads Urban Center in Salt Lake City argues that the amendment would actually cost the government money, because federal officials would have to free up more funding for alcohol and drug treatment programs. "If people who need all kinds of help can't get certain kinds of help, that is just not right," Linda said. She added that she "couldn't fathom the idea of denying assistance to a person with an alcohol dependency, and she worries it could punish entire families for the addiction of a parent."

This is just another ineffective, counterproductive, and expensive plan that, while claiming to save money, will ultimately be another example of the drug war pissing taxpayers' money down the drain.

Do as We Say, Not as We Do!

While I do not support the random drug testing of anybody in the good ol' US of A, I have to say I liked the proposal made by a Camden County Commissioner asking that all board members take drug tests. The reason behind Commissioner Mike Andrews' motion is that if the board wants students to submit to random testing, they should be willing to do so as well.

"We as elected officials are depended upon by the citizens of our county to be leaders and also to set good examples for the children," he said. "I make a motion that from now on all members of this board, as a show of good faith and leadership, submit to random drug and alcohol testing and that these tests ... be carried out by an agency outside of the county to prevent and appearance of improperness, such as the State Bureau of Investigation."

It's not surprising that the board members voted his proposal down 3-1. Why should they have to suffer the embarrassment of pissing in a cup while someone listens intently to every squirt and drop? Why should they have to be punished for testing positive for marijuana or other drug use? After all, clearly it is they're job to create these rules, not to abide by them. I think this shows just how backwards and hypocritical student testing really is.

Cracking down on sober driving

Under 18? Smoked pot in the past 30 days? A new bill in the Illinois state legislature would deny you access to a drivers license, just for having THC metabolites in your system.

Good thing our good friend Pete Guither was interviewed by the press so he could inject some common sense into the debate. (FYI: Pete is the author of the quintessential drug policy blog Drug WarRant and faculty advisor of SSDP's kick-ass chapter at Illinois State).

"I think it is ridiculous, silly, inappropriate and ineffective. Here's the issue. Really what you need to be dealing with when it comes to driving is impaired driving. Drug testing at the time of permit or license has absolutely nothing to do with that. What it does is simply go out of its way to target young people who have used marijuana, regardless if it has anything to do with their driving," Guither said.

"The drug test would probably be very specifically targeted at marijuana because its metabolites can stay in the system for days, so that is what can be tested. It would be silly to say, 'We're going to test people that have had a drink of wine two days ago. That is a reason for them not to be drivers.'"

[snip]

According to Guither, every study done has shown that alcohol is the more dangerous factor when it comes to road safety.

"It is not even a close consideration with marijuana, which is somewhat in the same area as cell phone usage and being tired," he said. "It's really just a way for Congress to act tough. It is just not constitutionally a good idea."

Great work, Pete!