Arguments Against Mandatory Drug Testing In Schools

Joseph A. Califano, the President of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, once said, “The corridors and classrooms of our nation’s high schools are so infested with drugs that for many students’ school days have become school daze”. Drug use has become a serious problem in high schools throughout the country. One way to reduce the use of drugs in schools is to administer drug tests on students wishing to participate in extracurricular activities, like sports or clubs. There are several arguments that support why schools should do this. These arguments include, studies have found that students subject to mandatory drug testing report less drug use, conducting drug tests on students gives them a clear reason to never use drugs,

One reason is several studies have found that students subject to mandatory drug testing report less drug use than students in schools without testing (Frequently Asked Questions about Drug Testing in Schools). In addition, since the Supreme Court ruled that drug testing in schools is constitutional in 2002, teen drug use has declined by 23 percent, and with more than 840,000 fewer students reporting using illegal drugs than in 2001 (Should Schools do Random Drug testing, John P. Walters). Conducting drug tests on students who wish to participate in extracurricular activities gives students a clear reason to never use drugs. Another reason Northville High school should conduct drug tests is teachers who work in schools where drug tests are given have noted a decrease in drug use and an improvement in discipline (Creating Safe and Drug-Free Schools: An Action Guide). Conducting drug tests would also allow the School to discover and treat student drug problems before they become serious. If a student tested positive for drugs, the school would be able to take necessary actions to help the student become drug