Pubdate: Thu, 18 Apr 2002
Source: Press & Sun Bulletin (NY)
Webpage: www.pressconnects.com/thursday/opinion/stories/op041802s97750.shtml
Copyright: 2002 Press & Sun Bulletin
Contact:  http://www.pressconnects.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/878
Author: Eric Sansky
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)

TEENS PRESUMED GUILTY

Recently, there has been much heated debate about drug testing in schools.

It's disturbing that kids, the overwhelming majority of whom are the 
upstanding citizens of the future, must put up with the notion that we're a 
national pandemic. Little upsets teens more than being viewed as problems 
to be fixed.

The Fourth Amendment protects people from random searches and seizures. 
According to it, authorities can't conduct a search unless they have 
reasonable suspicion that a crime was committed, or probable cause for such 
a search. One must think of what kind of world we're living in if students 
- -- and eventually all people -- are guilty until proven innocent.

If the Supreme Court allows drug testing in schools, I propose that all 
members of the school be tested. If schools see the need to test kids who 
join any extracurricular activity, we should have the security of knowing 
that all teachers, faculty and employees of the school district are clean. 
No group should be singled out.

However, perhaps it would be in the school's (and society's) best interest 
to spend tax dollars on helping the less than 5 percent of kids who give us 
a bad reputation.

Eric Sansky,

Apalachin
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MAP posted-by: Beth