Drug, Alcohol, and Tobacco Testing in Schools
By: Andrew • Essay • 745 Words • December 4, 2009 • 1,341 Views
Essay title: Drug, Alcohol, and Tobacco Testing in Schools
“Drugs, Alcohol, and Tobacco Testing”
The procedure of testing student for drugs, alcohol and tobacco before every school day should be allowed. The fact that the subject of drug testing has even been brought up is a sign that illegal substances have become troublesome in high school environments. Therefore, school officials should be allowed to use any means necessary to discourage the use of these illegal substances, even if it means that the school officials could become dangerously close to violating the students’ constitutional rights. A student under the influence of drugs or alcohol could endanger his or her fellow students or faculty and that student should not be allowed to attend that school. School officials must protect those who are at that school, so having a student whose actions are being controlled by illegal substances would not be the best way to protect the students and faculty. Students should be tested everyday for drugs, alcohol, and tobacco so that the students are healthier, the students have better grades, and the students never start doings things that could have a negative impact on their future.
First, schools should be allowed to test students for illegal substances everyday so that the students are healthier. Drugs, alcohol and tobacco have all been proven to be very unhealthy to a person at any age, especially to a person in his or her teenage years when he or she is still growing. In a school environment, especially that of a small school, students are expected to participant in athletic events. Any one of these illegal substances could affect the performance of the student, and, therefore, affect the overall outward appearance of the school. Parents would not be interested in sending their children to schools with horrible athletic programs due to drugs, alcohol or tobacco.
Secondly, a school environment that does not allow students to be under the influence of illegal substances will have higher grades. Higher grades would make the school look better to prospective students, and would, therefore, increase the enrollment. The school would be expelling the troublesome students while enrolling students that would raise the school’s reputation due to improved sports teams and standardized test scores. With the new enrollments, small private schools would earn more money and would then be able to spend more money on thing that would benefit the school, such as new books, desks, and sports equipment. So, all in all, by expelling students that have been proven to be under the influence of drugs, alcohol or tobacco, schools can improve the school environment in many ways.
Thirdly, when students attend a high school that does not allow