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New Jersey Town Could Drug Test Middle Schoolers
Filed under: In The News, Behavior: Tweens, Education: Tweens
Sixth, seventh and eighth graders could get randomly tested for drugs. Credit: CBS
On Wednesday, the Board of Education will vote on the proposed policy, under which sixth, seventh and eighth graders in Belvidere, N.J., would be subject to testing, CBS New York reports.
Oxford Elementary School Principal Sandra Szabocsik tells ParentDish she has gotten mostly positive feedback from the parents she's spoken to about the proposal.
"Belvidere is a small town and there's not a whole lot to do," Szabocsik tells ParentDish. "The younger kids tend to hang out with their older brothers and sisters. The hope is that knowing that they may be drug tested at school the next day will serve as a deterrent."
The American Civil Liberties Union disagrees.
"Random drug testing does not reduce drug use among young people," Jay Rorty, director of the ACLU Criminal Law Reform Project, tells ParentDish. "The high cost, high incidence of false positives and intrusive nature of the test make random testing a poor tool in the important work of drug education."
The drug test itself is a "five panel" test and officials are not allowed to say exactly what they are testing for. Szabocsik says she's unsure if alcohol is included, but says the district considers alcohol a drug.
Drug tests usually check for marijuana, cocaine, opioids, amphetamines and PCP, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. However, "if a school has a particular problem with other drugs, such as MDMA, GHB or steroids, they can include testing for these drugs as well," the NIDA website states.
If a Belvidere student tests positive, he or she will be given in-school counseling, as well as a referral to an intervention if appropriate. Szabocisik says she's not sure what happens if a student refuses to get counseling.
To participate in the voluntary program, both parents and students must consent.
School officials note that kids who test positive will not be punished, nor will the police be notified. Rather, they would get counseling or be referred to a drug rehab center.
Drug testing is already mandatory for Belvidere High School students who park on campus, join clubs or participate in sports, CBS New York reports.
Schools have had greater freedom to conduct random drug testing since a 2002 Supreme Court ruling allowed random drug testing for all middle school and high school students participating in competitive extracurricular activities -- not just sports, which was the previous policy.
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ReaderComments (Page 3 of 7)
1-11-2011 @ 3:38PM
Eddie said...This is just one more baby step in grooming future generations to believe that it's okay that the government controls all areas of their lives. Under the guise of "protecting" society our government is slowly reducing our freedom, our privacy, and our incentive personal achievment and independent thought.
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1-11-2011 @ 3:46PM
tigger said...What you do in your own home is your business. The problem is it never seems to stay "AT HOME" and that's where the problems come in. While I agree that we have lost many of our freedoms......we are the ones who don't vote, we allow our freedoms to be removed by being silent and then we want to sit back and complain about it all. Our children are our future and I for one want someone with some brain cells left!
1-11-2011 @ 3:41PM
mcurtis2962 said...I knew several in the early 70's at 12 getting stoned. I was 14 my first time. Don't be so gullable people. Kids have always experimented at fairly early ages.
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1-11-2011 @ 3:45PM
liz delagala said...I think this is a great idea, I only wish someone would have thought of this sooner !!! I think all middle schools in all states should start doing this ASAP !!!!!
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1-11-2011 @ 3:44PM
claire said...i think this is a serious situation and that they should take the drug test because there are a good amount of kids dealing and or using drugs!
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1-11-2011 @ 3:48PM
Jeff F said...Legalize pot
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1-11-2011 @ 3:48PM
anniesez said...I say a GREAT idea doing drug testing randomly. We need to protect our children.
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1-11-2011 @ 3:57PM
V said...I am for this! I am 21 so my youth days of middle school are still vivid in my memory whereas parents may forget or be out of date with what goes on. I never did drugs but I was the invisible kid in the back of the room nobody noticed so kids often talked while the teacher was out and I would overhear everything! Some of it would be really disturbing too, like stealing, oral sex, smoking, drugs, alcohol, and this is seventh grade we're talking about! If that was how it was when I was that age, I don't even want to think about what they do now! Also, I agree with the no punishment but counseling, because as much as drugs are bad, the people, often or not, do not always start out that way and may be using them to deal with some intense emotions, it would encourage kids to be more open.
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1-11-2011 @ 4:01PM
CITIZEN said...Let parents test kids not the public school system seems like another expense tax payers will have to PAY! !
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1-11-2011 @ 4:01PM
Jane said...I'm glad that there is drug testing for middle school kids. When my daughter was in 6th grade, she said kids were smoking pot and coming to school high. I'm all for them being tested.
I'm sure the lawyer Kevin would like kids to get high so he can get money from them when they get arrested and he (or his cronies) get paid to defend them.
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1-11-2011 @ 4:02PM
Dick said...Drug testing---the sooner the better and must be all inclusive---faculty too. Drug use is ruining our future.
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1-11-2011 @ 4:10PM
ConstitutonalMan said...They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. Franklin's Contributions to the Conference on February 17 (III) Fri, Feb 17, 1775
Since when do we want the school to do our parenting???
1-11-2011 @ 4:04PM
JC said...Yes, drug test the little ones. These brats are raised on Ritalin and other antidepressents because their parents don't know how to straighten them out. These drugs contribute to their irrational behavior later in their teens. Pharmacology and the medical industry loves the drugs. Big money-makers for them.
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1-11-2011 @ 4:05PM
Dumba** said...Our freedoms are slowly being taken away. I resent the government telling me I'm not a good parent and will do it for me. I can raise my kid with no help from big brother and do an exemplary job at it!
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1-11-2011 @ 4:04PM
susan emerick said...I gave my consent when my son played football the whole team tested positive one year due to a batch of faulty tests my son is now 25 and to this day people will say that he and his fellow team mates were a part of the big drug scandel at his school. All those kids were marked after that as no one believed they were false positive , even after it was reported in the news that the tests were wrong!! It was also pointed out to us at the time by our attorney that giving a urine test is self incriminating and even though it is gotten away with that is againest your constitutional right!!
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1-11-2011 @ 4:06PM
citizen said...Test teachers and all school officials to set examples for the kids and then fire who fails and then test kids have the failed tests be paid for by the parents as a tax payer who is going to foot the bill for all of these test WE ARE!
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1-11-2011 @ 4:18PM
ZonaBona said...Once again. Why would the school be doing what the parents should be doing. Maybe they should drug test the parents first. If they did that you'd be sure the parents would take more interest in what he kids were up to.
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1-11-2011 @ 4:24PM
amark1776 said...It is about time people start to recognize that many young people have drug and alcohol problems. People want to blame shootings and other abhorrent behaviors on mental health issues and never discuss alcohol and drugs. In fact, alcohol and drug abuse leads to mental illness and bizarre behavior. Let's test all people in government for alcohol and drugs also. Drug and alcohol abuse in America is epidemic.
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1-11-2011 @ 4:22PM
M said...Sure, we hand out Ritalin like candy but kids in middle school have to be tested for drugs. Messed up.
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1-11-2011 @ 4:28PM
High School Teenager :| said...There are plenty of middle school kids who do drugs. When I was in middle school, the partying kids went to parties and did drugs. Sounds like high school, and it is... but it's pretty much still the same in Senior year.
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