Blair's school drug tests plan condemned

[Oz]

BRITISH Prime Minister Tony Blair is facing a furious backlash over plans to introduce random drugs tests in schools.

 

Head teachers and drugs experts condemned them as unworkable, poorly thought out and certain to infuriate parents. Guidelines will be issued next month to help principals bring in urine tests and sniffer dogs to rid their schools of illicit drugs.

 

But principals' organisations warned that few schools, if any, were likely to adopt the idea.

 

One teaching union leader declared herself "horrified", adding: "I cannot see how on Earth it's going to work."

 

There was concern over who would meet bills running into the thousands for urine tests and anger that schools were being asked to solve what they see as society's problem.

 

The proposal was seized on by critics as yet another headline-grabbing policy pronouncement made "on the hoof" by Mr Blair, leaving others with the problem of putting it into action.

 

It was compared to his much-derided idea of marching yobs to ATMs to pay on-the-spot fines.

 

Mr Blair was also accused of blurring the message to youngsters by introducing testing at almost the same time as cannabis was downgraded in law.

 

The drugs charity DrugScope warned that tests in schools would drive abuse underground by encouraging truancy and pushing up expulsion rates.

 

The move to encourage testing reflects government alarm at soaring levels of drug use. Recent figures showed that one in three young teenagers admit smoking cannabis and one in 10 has taken ecstasy. Mr Blair told a Sunday newspaper: "If heads believe they have a problem then they should be able to do random drug testing."

 

Heads already have the legal powers to carry out random tests, although no state school is yet believed to have used them. The new guidance will give detailed advice on how to proceed.

 

Jean Gemmell, general secretary of the Professional Association of Teachers, warned that drugs tests may invite lawsuits from parents.

 

Some independent schools use tests, but usually only on those who have already been caught.

 

By Laura Clark

[Kimba]

I think that at least the teachers and/or principal should have the option to test particular students. My reasoning is not to catch mullers but to stop Herion from ever getting into the schools, unfortunately dealers are not usually to fussy about what illegal substances they sell. And with Herion non-users could make a fortune at the expense of thier peers health and lives but this is never the case as the dealer to succumbs to the horrid affliction of addiction. A teacher will know what students to test.

I beg non-users from a position of experience never to go there. Not even once. Reason? It's like the forbidden fruit, only desired for it's unattainability as it really isn't that good. You feel sick and pass out. Fun it's not.

So I condone terror tatics in schools to catch dealers. If it saves a kids life then what the fack, do it.