Klarinet Archive - Posting 001121.txt from 2002/06

From: w7wright@-----.net (William Wright)
Subj: Re: [kl] Music vs. drug testing
Date: Sun, 30 Jun 2002 15:33:37 -0400

I shouldn't broaden this topic any further --- except for the fact that
it began when such issues intersected with music students and music
education.

But consider the logic of searching airline passengers and their
baggage.

We all understand why the searches are done, and the majority of us
(probably?) feel that the searches are proper and necessary.
Nevertheless, **every** individual receives a personal search before
boarding an airplane, regardless of whether there is cause for suspicion
of the particular individual.

The mathematical odds of one particular passenger being a hijacker are
**much less** than the odds of one particular high school student using
drugs. Also, if there were some way to put a numerical value on the
damage caused b each type of crime, probably the numerical value for
damages caused by drug use in high school would be much larger.

I remain against random drug searches, but we need to look at the other
side of the argument.

What **objective** difference do people on this List propose for paying
for and acquiescing to airline searches, but not music students?

The difference that I can see is that drug searches at schools are not
universal. They are applied only to extra-curricular activities
because a legal technicality allows it and because they are economically
feasible and because music happens to be a convenient target wth neither
too many nor too few students to be affordable.

I've been drug tested by my employer, including the security guy stood
in the stall with me to watch (not hear) that I really filled the cup:
but **EVERY EMPLOYEE** was tested this way. That's the part that rubs
me raw. It's picking on one small group because 'they' can.

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