OpEd Piece Challenges School Drug Testing Policy in IL
Finally! Pete Guthier of Drug War Rant recently got his letter to the editor of Central Illnois paper “The Pantagraph” published online. I say “finally” because it is about time that sensible opponents of irrational drug policies get their voices heard in the mainstream media. Unfortunately, the only people who visit these anti-war-on-drugs blogs (including this one) are those who are already convinced. We need to get the message out to the non-converted in order to enact some actual change. Otherwise, we are just preaching to the proverbial choir.
Guthier’s letter (which can be read here) argues against the silly policy of making mandatory drug testing a condition of participation in school activities. This testing not only unnecessarily fosters a hostile relationship between students and authority, but it is also ineffective because, as Guthier’s letter points out, the “at-risk” kids are exactly the ones NOT participating in school activities and therefore will not be tested (thankfully, it is illegal to blindly test everybody). Furthermore, this policy completely removes the possibility that these kids will participate in positive extracurricular programs, thereby perpetuating the negativity of their situations.