Students raise question: should faculty be tested, too?
Consider this: would your opinion on reasonable suspicion drug testing change if your teachers were subjected to drug testing as well?
“I think students will be more open to drug testing as a whole if they think it’s fair. Students are still in the mindset that everything has to be fair,” said Student Senate President Bronson Stein. “If they feel know that the teachers are being tested, too, I think that will really show a real push in our fight against drugs.”
Before it was suggested by board member Ken Artis at the March 15 school board meeting, the Student Senate hadn’t even considered it.
“The reason for drug testing isn’t to find people who are doing drugs in general. The reason for drug testing is to make sure that drugs don’t enter our school,” said Stein. “So, we were pointing it directly at students because that’s where the majority of the drug abuse is. I guess we don’t really believe that teachers were a problem. But if it’s a concern of some people, I think it needs to be addressed.”
To some, a “teacher testing” policy would add a level of fairness.
To Social Studies teacher Jason Janke, it adds a level of comedy. “Personally, I don’t think there is any need for that [teachers getting drug tested],” said Janke after some laughter. “I think that if there is reasonable suspicion of a teacher being under the influence, my guess would be that Mr. Chambers would probably have an easier time of getting that individual tested because they’re under contract.”
Drug testing teachers would increase the price tag on the reasonable suspicion policy; as of now the Student Senate is not aware of the program’s exact cost.
“We’re estimating that this should be 300 dollars a year for the swab, so with teacher testing it would be a lot more,” said Stein. “[Teacher testing would cost more] because with the swab it’s only if there is a problem, but with teachers it would be mandatory for the entire faculty.”
According to some, testing teachers would detract from the Student Senate’s goals.
“I think [testing teachers for drugs] completely misses the point the Student Senate is trying to make, and I think it speaks to the incredibly high level of skepticism that teachers face in this community,” said Janke.
With students, the consequences of being found under the influence at school are not as clear cut as they are with teachers.
“I don’t have a real solid idea [of what would happen to teachers if they tested positive]… but I guess what I think would be an acceptable consequence would be termination. If you’re doing something illegal when you’re supposed to be teaching not only a certain subject but also morals, that is wrong,” said Stein.
Desiree Shawley • Apr 10, 2010 at 5:30 pm
Ok, Mr. Janke is right. If there was reasonable suspiscion that a teacher was doing drugs, the teacher would get tested anyway!!
Leah • Mar 31, 2010 at 9:27 pm
I don’t think teachers should have to be tested, i just don’t think it is needed. The drug testing for students isn’t random its reasonable suspiscion so teachers have to watch for signs of drug use. So if you are not doing drugs you have nothing to worry about. I think it is a good thing for our school!
Chelsea Tucker • Mar 17, 2010 at 9:47 pm
Yes, faculty should be tested also.
Even IF faculty were to be tested, still doesn’t make testing the students logical. Yeah, sure, there’s a drug problem at school, but seriously most people can’t even tell if people are high/drunk or whatever. Reasonable Suspicion… hmm. Reasonable? I don’t know why students, or even myself, bother trying to convince you, and whoever else that it’s a bad idea, it obviously doesn’t make a difference. Our school is pretty much a dictatorship, you’ll listen to some students but not all. And seriously if you want to complain about drugs, do something about pregnancy, and maybe while your at it throw a class (that we can’t afford) in the curriculum about drugs, gee, maybe that’ll do something.
Ben Hodge • Mar 17, 2010 at 2:39 pm
Of course you wouldnt think that there is a need to test the teachers, because you are a teacher. Us students dont feel the need to be tested because it would suck, same reason you dont want to be tested. Its a waste of time and will cause more bad than good. Its not fair to test the studenst and not the teachers. I mean you guys are our role models, if we know for a fact teachers dont do them, then we will be more suseptable not to. Think outside of the box, or better yet, look at it from the majority of the students point of view. School feels more and more like a prison every day.