Drug testing to begin in schools

MIAMI, Feb. 19 (UPI) The Miami-Dade County School Board has approved a controversial voluntary drug testing program designed to rid schools of drugs. The first program of its kind in the nation mandates parents approve their child's testing and that the results be mailed directly to the family home, giving parents the responsibility of finding drug treatment for their child.

The program, which initially will test no more than 5,000 students, is scheduled to begin in March.

The American Civil Liberties Union says as long as the testing is voluntary, it has no plans to fight the program. But a host of students and parents are not convinced the program is worth the $200,000 start-up cost, since students using drugs likely will be reluctant to submit to testing. Some parents also feel

testing without cause would be an invasion of privacy.

Other critics of the policy suggest it has no "teeth" because it is voluntary and no punitive action will be taken if a student tests positive, other than notification to parents. The original proposal called for random testing without consent. That suggestion triggered an immediate response from the ACLU,which had immediately planned legal action to stop the program.

The Miami-Dade Country School board approved a drug test. They designed the test to rid schools of drugs. This program mandates the parents to approve their child’s checking. When the result is positive the parents can choose a treatment.

The American Civil Liberties Union doesn’t want to fight the program until it’s voluntary. The drug-users may be reluctant to submit to testing, that’s why the parents are against the program.

The critics think the program won’t have “teeth”, because it isn’t punitive. The original test would have been without consent.