To Test or Not To Test

Are you in favor of drug testing for students before admission in schools?

Almost everybody needs to undergo it. Before being hired for a job, before getting a driver’s license, and for some famous sports icon I know, it is done before entering into a “fight “. Whether the battle is on the boxing ring or just on the cozy but sometimes stressful environment of a work office, drug testing is a must.

Taking into consideration what I have said, we may simply come up with the verdict that drug testing for students before entering school would be a great idea. Of course there are advantages. For one, it may ensure the safety of other students and people from the institution where an enrollee who has been proved to be taking drugs. We all know that there are a growing number of horrid school incidents across the planet being drug abuser students as the perpetrator. One good example and probably the most horrible was what have happened back in 1966 when a student named Charles Whitman murdered 14 people and injured 32 others. Experts in charge of the case say that his amphetamine dependence was conceivably one of the causes of his actions.

But when you take a deeper look at the issue, I would have to say that obligatory drug testing for incoming students isn’t that a good idea.

“No child shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with his or her privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to unlawful attacks on his or her honor and reputation."

This is Article 16 of the United Nations Convention on Human Rights. Bearing this in mind I have finally resolute to take the side of those who disagree with the “proposal”. Yes, I know that a student under the influence of drugs may potentially cause harm to other people he could come into contact with at school. But have we considered the effects it may cause to the student guilty of drug abuse?

Social humiliation is perhaps the most fatal damage a student proven guilty of drug abuse may experience. And that is because of the invasion of privacy due to the over-zealous enforcement of laws regarding drug abuse and drug testing. Yes, I know that everyone should be responsible for his or her actions. But what we are talking about are mostly school aged children.

The youth of today are exposed to many kinds of problems regarding family, social issues and bad influences. They won’t commit into taking drugs just like that. There must be an underlying reason why they engage into such illegal acts.

Aside from tons and tons of humiliation, the child may also feel apprehensive and desecrated of his right against persecution by others, incursion of privacy, unlawful investigation and self-incrimination to name a few.

Going back to the case of Charles Whitman, it was discovered that he had to deal with problems that arise due to his dysfunctional family. This possibly could have lured him into taking in amphetamines to escape his problems. Although he is not a child, his case is a proof that people who take illegal drugs don’t just do it for fun, most of time, there is a concealed explanation for such actions.

Furthermore, if a 25 year old man such as Whitman failed to properly justify that doing drugs is unlawful, what more to a child who is vulnerable of any kind of persuasion; may it be good or bad?

So what should we do instead? I believe that the government should concentrate on improving their programs regarding proper education regarding the bad effects of drugs to students. Give more budgets to livelihood program and other activities which may keep students from using drugs. And for those who are experiencing emotional, spiritual and social problems; maybe effective counseling sessions would be of big help.

So why not do drug testing on students before they could enter school? They aren’t on the battle field yet. It’s just the training ground they’re in, where you are allowed to commit mistakes. They are still students---students who commit mistakes, who sometimes lose their way. They don’t need something that would just pull them and may even burry them to the pit.