| School districts, much like employers, have begun | | | | school district, students who wish to compete in |
| to implement drug-testing policies. Many school | | | | school sports must sign a release for a drug |
| officials cite statistics relating to school | | | | screening. This has become common in schools |
| performance and safety among drug users. | | | | because of statistics showing that male high |
| Whether the drug testing acts as a method of | | | | school athletes have a greater risk of drug abuse. |
| screening students or as a method of deterrence | | | | These facts, accompanied by the fear of injury |
| from drug use, the popularity of this practice has | | | | during competitions, have fueled the debate and |
| increased significantly in many school | | | | existence of drug testing among |
| systems.Supporters of high school drug testing | | | | athletes.Opponents of drug testing claim that it is |
| often cite governmental statistics. These numbers | | | | a violation of privacy to require students to take |
| show a steadily growing number of teenage drug | | | | drug tests. Privacy advocates suggest that with |
| users each year. Those in favor of mandatory | | | | requests for mandatory drug screenings comes |
| drug testing suggest that such measures may be | | | | the potential for abuse. A few cases have existed |
| effective in keeping teenagers from using drugs. | | | | in which a student was randomly searched and |
| Fear of facing expulsion from school or | | | | found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia. In |
| punishment from their parents may be a good | | | | these cases, the students were either suspended |
| deterrent for high school students.Although some | | | | from school or sent to drug rehabilitation centers; |
| officials would like to see a policy of mandatory | | | | it is often the case that these students were |
| testing of every student, most drug screenings | | | | productive in school and were not necessarily |
| require parental consent. Most schools require that | | | | considered to be problem students. Regardless of |
| there be probable cause or reasonable suspicion | | | | these isolated cases, many school districts defend |
| before requesting a drug test. If a teacher notices | | | | the benefits of drug testing. Although formal |
| a student who appears aloof or has red and | | | | statistics do not prove the theory, many |
| glassy eyes, he or she may request a drug | | | | educational experts believe that high school drug |
| test.More common than random or | | | | testing deters students from using or abusing |
| suspicion-based high school drug testing is the | | | | illegal drugs. |
| testing of high school athletes. In nearly every | | | | |