THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, July 3, 1995 TAG: 9506290011
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 31 lines
It is a sad state of affairs when junior-high-school students are randomly drug tested prior to their participation on the school sports team.
What happened to a student's right to privacy? It would seem to me that if ``excessive unruly behavior,'' as a school in Oregon called it, was such a problem, that the disciplinary system should be examined.
How can our children's right to participate in school functions be abridged without probable cause? Not only does the Supreme Court decision include sports but also any other activity a student may wish to take part in. I am willing to bet that the majority of kids, as well as parents, will find this sort of government intrusion unacceptable.
I don't have a problem with employers testing adults, especially ones whose job performance could endanger others if performed while impaired, but I find it hard to believe that testing kids will provide the answers or solve the growing drug problem in our schools. What it will do is deny kids whose parents resent this sort of molestation opportunities that they would otherwise take part in and most likely benefit from.
JEFFREY M. WALKER
Norfolk, June 27, 1995 by CNB