Trying something new...

[johno]

I've got a long commute and while I usually listen to AudioBooks or Audible.com content. However, I often end up listening to talk radio. I don't listen to the conservative loudmouths because it gets my blood pressure up. I have found one guy who is fairly well balanced and willing to talk both sides of the issue, without resorting to name calling.

I'm going to try posting the days topic and see what folks opinions of it are.

Today's topic: Drug Testing in Schools as a requirement to participate in activities.

A school district in Oklahoma performs random drug testing of students participating in extracurricular activities. One student refused to be tested and was booted. She appealed all the way to the US Supreme Court, which is hearing the case today.

Thoughts?

Comments

... Thoughts.

[purplkat.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. I can see why people are doing this. After all, who wants those yucky, drug-addicted kids mixing with the 'clean livin'' kids who frequently overachieve in extracurricular activities? No parent wants that.

Okay, fine. I suck and phrasing the other side of the arguement, becuase I think it's not very realistic. I know a lot of people who are school-age and doing drugs, and you know what? If they've taken the step to be going to extracurricular activities, the last thing you wanna do is drive them away like that. IMO, extracurricular activities should be for kids like this, and if the other ones wanna come, great, they can. But these are the kids who need special attention, who need someone to approve of them and help them and give them one-on-one time. So I think that, in the end, the policy will do much more harm than good. I also think that our society, which is so fond of branding people as good or bad without looking at the shades of grey in the middle, will never realize the harm it's doing.

Now, if anyone, drugs or no, starts causing a disturbance in the extracurricular activity, by all means. Kick them out. But kick them out for -that-.

Re: ... Thoughts.

[johno.livejournal.com]

Guess I don't need to post my own commentary then.

We have very similar thoughts.

I hope the girl wins

[figmo.livejournal.com]

I think I heard part of that show. What gets me is when they want to force drug testing on kids who are in choir and other equally innocuous activities.

My first reaction was, "It's the kids who aren't in extracurricular activities who are more likely to 'need' drug testing!" The ones in extracurricular activities were always the ones staying out of trouble.

Re: I hope the girl wins

[johno.livejournal.com]

I found the 17 year old super kid (drama-soccer-2or3 others) saying she knew kids in all the groups who did drugs (of course she didn't ;).

What would happen to them? All kicked off? What would happen to the programs? Lots of 1-women plays, forfeted soccer games, etc.

What about athlets on steriods and other "enhancement" drugs, testing for those too?

I'm against drug testing, except when there is "clear and present danger" that someone who is drunk or drugged could harm or kill someone or themselves. Drivers, pilots, contruction worker, police, military, etc.

Teachers, students, Radio Shack employees (yes, RatShack proudly has it as part of their Help Wanted sign), etc, etc, don't need to be tested. If drug or alchol abuse is affecting their work, then its a managment issue to fix.