Being CS

CivilLiberties = CivilLiberties - 1;

According to this Guardian article the Blair government is proposing the introduction of random drug testing of students in British public schools. Let it be clear that I oppose any use of drugs and that I am also personally against drinking, but these things should really be of no concern in this matter. The fact is that random drug testing is a draconian measure, with little chance of achieving anything. Even worse, once again, I am disappointed and appalled by the actions of my former personal hero Tony Blair.

In order for this policy to be legal the teacher will have to seek permission from parents or child, depending on the child's age. While it is of course true that parents can refuse the request to test, there is always a prevalent assumption that people who refuse this test are in some way guilty. It also puts pressure on parents who trust their children, because they will have to decide on whether to force their child to take the test (if the child doesn't want to) or risk making their child look suspicious to teachers and peers.

The policy also states that students who test as positive will be given treatment, instead of being kicked out of school. While the possibility of the latter is completely ridiculous anyway (throwing students of school has rarely helped to improve their behavior or outlook on life), treatment of individuals is not a good solution either. Students who test positive will be viewed negatively by their peers which will make their possible drug problem only worse. Keeping the results anonymous will help little, because it will only give rise to rumors and speculations which are prevalent in all school environments.

Finally, false positive are always possible with these kinds of tests, especially when students are on some sort of medication. While divulging information about medication taken could make this less likely, there are many situations in which releasing such information can interfere with students privacy concerns, especially if they have illness or diseases that have social stigmas associated with them.

I think that using an increased emphasis on peer based prevention programs is a far more effective and less controversial method. In my high school students got a 3 day break from class (attendance was still mandatory) during which a team of upperclassmen would come into the class and talk to students about their problems, experiences with alcohol and possibly illegal substances, as well as concerns regarding classes and teachers. We had workshops on living lives without illegal substances, and had 2 teachers with special training that students could talk to if they had problems in school, or at home. Everything discussed with these counsellors was confidential, and most people felt comfortable of talking to these teachers, and did so when needed.

Though no policy can ever completely eliminate the drug problem in school, policies that pit students against teachers and parents will only exacerbate the problem by making students wary of talking about their problems to counsellors or peers.