Random Drug Tests For Students In Extracurricular Activities Shot Down, Lawmaker Has Another Idea

It has been reported by Wisconsin State Journal that a proposal for students in extracurricular activities to undergo random drug tests has been shot down. A Republican lawmaker has another idea.

According to the report, the proposed bill was rejected when it was revealed that the students’ urine would be tested. Rep. Joel Kleefisch was also not very fond of the idea.

“Having children urinate in a cup is still (a) fairly abhorrent (idea).”

While the idea to test the students’ urine for drugs is appalling to most, Republican lawmaker Kleefisch is considering a different alternative. Instead of requiring the school district to demand random drug tests among the students in extracurricular activities, the school should be required to have a way for parents to request drug tests for their children.

Kleefisch further revealed that hair sampling drug tests would likely be a part of that proposal. The proposal was brought up during a meeting among committees of Coalition to Combat Heroin, which is a group organized and headed by Kleefisch to battle heroin use.

Some schools throughout Wisconsin already have random drug test policies among students who drive to school, as well as students who are in extracurricular activities. Kleefisch confirmed that those policies would not be overridden by this new proposal.

In 2002, the Supreme Court ruled it legal and justified to randomly drug test students, and the testing is not a violation of the Fourth Amendment.

According to Constitute Project, the Fourth Amendment reads as follows.

“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”

The National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (NCEE) has conducted an evaluation to compare the effectiveness of random drug testing at schools for students in extracurricular activities. It has been revealed that less substance abuse was found in schools with random drug tests, than in schools that do not take part in drug tests.

Although the study can only be considered for the southern states, it showed that 6 percent more students were found to have taken an illegal substances at schools that do not enforce random drug tests.

Further, the evaluation showed no signs that random drug testing reduced participation among students in extracurricular activities.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch has reported that a Missouri technical college’s mandatory drug screening for all students was ruled unconstitutional and illegal. Back in 2013, a judge ruled in favor of the mandatory drug tests, but a recent Federal appeal has shot it down.

However, the ruling does uphold the school’s ability to drug screen students in safety-sensitive training. Students in classes, such as industrial electricity, power sports, electrical distribution systems, servicing of caterpillar heavy equipment, and aviation maintenance.

What do you think about the Republican lawmaker’s idea to require all school districts to have the option for parents to request drug tests for their children? Do you think it is unconstitutional, or do you think that maybe it will help to reduce the amount of drug usage among students?

While this has not been set in motion as of yet, this will be the next effort. According to Teen Rehab Center, high school students often fall victim to drug or alcohol use due to peer pressure. Statistics show that approximately 68 percent of 12th-grade students have consumed alcohol. About 35 percent of 12th-grade students have smoked marijuana, and nearly a quarter of high school students use other drugs.

Further, nearly 44 percent of high school students know at least one other student who sells drugs, making it quite simple for them to fall victim of drug abuse. Although drug testing students in extracurricular activities and college students in safety-sensitive fields may not keep everyone from doing drugs, it could at least make a difference.

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