High schools and middle schools have the right to randomly test students for drug use, and increasingly they are doing just that.
Schools were given the green light after a 2002 Supreme Court ruling. The case began after Oklahoma high school students were ordered to take random drug tests.
At the time, schools were allowed to test student athletes. But the Oklahoma school also wanted to test kids in non-athletic activities.
One of the students was a choir member who argued that the policy violated her 4th Amendment right against unreasonable search. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the school.
Now, more schools are considering testing. In February, an Illinois state senator introduced a bill that would require the Illinois High School Association to randomly drug test athletes.
Not sure what it means for you? Here are common kid questions about school drug testing:
Under the Supreme Court decision, who can be drug tested at school?
“It’s fairly straightforward,” says John McGinnis, a law professor at Northwestern University. “It says if you’re in extracurricular activities, the school can do random drug testing.”
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What if you’re not in any school activities?
This question hasn’t been answered. The court only addressed whether students in activities can be tested, McGinnis says. Students also can be tested, however, if they take advantage of school privileges, such as parking permits.
How do the tests work? What do they screen?
Tests use samples of hair, saliva, sweat or urine. Samples are screened for drugs such as marijuana, cocaine or amphetamines.
What happens if you test positive?
The tests are supposed to be about prevention, not punishment. Students who test positive are supposed to receive drug counseling and follow-up tests. But they also may be suspended from extracurricular activities.
Does drug testing help stop drug use?
It’s hard to say. A 2003 study by the University of Michigan found that random testing did not reduce drug use in middle school and high school students. But the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy says future data will show random tests prevent drug use.
How common is school drug testing?
In the U.S., about 1,000 middle and high school districts test. McGinnis says, “It is an expensive thing to do,” and the cost prevents some schools from drug testing. Tests can range from $10 to $50 each, according to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.