Klarinet Archive - Posting 001041.txt from 2002/06

From: LeliaLoban@-----.com
Subj: [kl] Explanation requested
Date: Fri, 28 Jun 2002 12:15:58 -0400

Kevin Callahan wrote:
>>The Supreme Court ruled that schools may do random drug
testing of students involved in extracurricular activities>>

Bill Wright wrote,
>Can someone help me out by explaining, briefly, why
>schools & the Supreme Court have singled out
>extra-cirricular activities, rather than the entire
>student body during normal school hours, for drug testing?
>What is the thought process?

Oh, you mean the real thought process, not the sanctimonious bullbleep in the
brief presented to the Supreme Court? The real thought process, IMHO, is
that the schools want desperately to test the athletes; but test cases have
shown that singling out the athletes is a form of prohibited discrimination.
In order to test the group with the demonstrable history of drug abuse
problems, the school must drag the rest of the extracurricular participants
into Big Brother's pee-line lottery, too.

I wonder how long it will take before some test monitor, who prevents
cheating by sitting outside the stall door and listening to the kids pee,
makes an inappropriate remark. And I wonder how long it will take before one
of the stressed-out, offended students, pushed too far, privacy invaded that
last degree too much, throws the brimming cup of pee in the monitor's face.
Of course the teacher will deny making the comment; people will whisper that
the student was afraid to turn in the sample because of something to hide;
and the public will sympathize with the poor, assaulted teacher when the
student gets expelled.

Lelia

---------------------------------------------------------------------