Schools to begin random drug tests

[boulder]

HEAD teachers in British schools will be given new powers to order pupils to undergo random tests for illegal drugs.

 

Prime Minister Tony Blair told Britain's News of the World: "If heads believe they have a problem in their school then they should be able to do random drug testing."

 

Education authorities would be able to take urine samples from pupils and use sniffer dogs to search school grounds for drugs, according to the newspaper.

 

"Guidance will be given to head teachers next month which is going to give them specifically the power to do random drug testing within their schools," Blair told the tabloid.

 

The plans drew a mixed response from opposition politicians and teachers' associations.

 

David Hart, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, cautioned that the measure would only work with the support of school principals.

 

"Whilst it would be quite wrong for it to be imposed externally, it could be a good example of school-police liaison that helps in the battle against the widespread drug culture amongst our youth," he said.

 

Jean Gemmell, general secretary of the Professional Association of Teachers, said: "My first reaction was to be fairly horrified, mostly because I cannot quite see how on earth it is going to work."

 

The measures added to teachers' "burden of social responsibility to the point that it becomes untenable", she said.

 

Tim Collins, education spokesman for the opposition Conservative party, accused the government of sending mixed messages on drugs, weeks after it downgraded the legal status of cannabis, putting it on par with anti-depressants and steroids, without actually legalising its possession.

 

http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/comm...55E1702,00.html

Edited February 23, 2004 by boulder

[Luke Skywalker]

WHAT A CROCK OF BULLSHIT!

 

I can't believe this, it's just so horrifying to see what these governments and other organisations/corporations pushing the prohibition line are willing to do to convince you that you're under direct threat....

 

THEY ARE THE THREAT!!!!

 

I hope a parent sues the arse off a school when they bring this in. Duty of care is one thing, unauthorised, uncalled for and most of all illegal searches of minors is quite another. What are they going to do when they discover that half the students currently or have in the past used drugs? Arrest them all?

 

There is no justification for this. Whatsoever. :angry:

 

Either we really deal with drugs and the problems they can produce for society, or we continue to allow the cartels of government, corps and black market industry and all the crime it associates with them, to control and define our lives, even when we see that what they are doing is causing most of the problems.

 

Sorry, just pisses me off.

[pipeman]

why don't they stop pussy footing around and install video cameras in all our homes and be done with it

[Guest weekprik]

its a fact of todays world, My kids go to a school that has cameras every where you look and its a public school!,

 

But im not really worried as I dont think school age kids should be on drugs anyways.

[Mr_Moogle]

If some teacher came to me and asked for a urine sample I'd tell them to go and @#$% themselves.....or in a classic case of irony.....I would urinate on that particular teachers leg

 

mmmmm maybe thats taking things a little too far.....but desperate times call for desperate measures

[stonerjay]

why don't they stop pussy footing around and install video cameras in all our homes and be done with it 

 

 

hahah....seious though. I actually talked to some guy thats all into privacy and shit and he said that in like 20 years, there will always be a camera on u...at all times... thats fuckin tripped out

 

and that fuckin sucks that they are starting to do that. they run the dogs around the parkinglot a couple times a year (almost got busted a couple of times) but never random drug testing. Looks like im getting out of school at the right time.

Edited April 16, 2004 by stonerjay

[BlazinMarty]

ok so they have cameras on everybody...who's gonna watch you. who's going to be watching the guy watching you?

half the stores of the world that have video survalience noone is usually watchin them

[pipeman]

Marty what will happen is that the culture of spying and dobbing on your neighbours will develop and the secret police won't have to do anything.

 

Just like the principles and practices of Nazi Germany. It wasn't driven by Hitler, it was driven by the German people. They loved it.

[Guest]

Let's start our own nation and call it Cannatopia. Would be fun drawing up a new constitution.

 

1. You are free to do as you like so long as it does not harm other citizens mentally, physically or financially. Violations to be decided upon by a commitee of citizens.

 

Too long?