School being sued over drug testing

Civil rights lawyers are fighting Delaware Valley School District’s drug-testing policy in court on behalf of two students. Drug testing at schools has become more and more prominent in the last year or so, and it seems this is the start of a student backlash against what they believe is an invasion of privacy. As is the case with many schools who have implemented these measures, drug testing in this case is required for students who participate in extracurricular activities, including school dances, or who drive to school. “These policies teach young people to accept extreme invasions of their privacy when they’ve done nothing wrong,” said Mary Catherine Roper, senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Pennsylvania. According to the complaint, the school district ignored the 2003 Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling, Theodore vs. Delaware Valley School District, and has continued to enforce its drug-testing policy.

“Random drug testing is also counterproductive, as studies have shown that extracurricular activities help students avoid drug use,” Roper said. “Schools should not be putting up barriers to students’ participation in after-school activities.”

It is no surprise that this lawsuit has been filed, it was sure to happen eventually with more and more schools starting to enforce the practice of random drug testing. No doubt students, teachers and parents across the country will be watching this case carefully, with the result potentially having ramifications across America.