Drug testing for all?

White House Deputy Drug Czar, Mary Ann Solberg, is in town today to discuss expanding drug testing to all middle and high school students, not just those who participate in extracurricular activities.

Random drug testing is a troubling reality for many students. While the legality may be secure, the larger question of the effects of a random invasion of an individual's privacy still remain. Proponents offer that it is restricted to those who participate in extracurricular activities. Yet everyone must remember parents, teachers and school officials touting the positive benefits of such activities. College admissions offices look at extracurricular participation when evaluating a students application. If a student objects to random invasions of their privacy, aren't they unjustly punished for standing up for their beliefs?

What's the effect expanding drug testing to all students? How can schools effectively teach or talk about constitutional rights when the students themselves are subjected to involuntary searches that others are not subjected to. Should a police officer be able to stop the same student walking down the street and demand they pass a drug test?

In addition, is this a useful way to spend time and money when many students are unable to pass remedial math and reading tests?

Raising the question of expanding student drug testing will hopefully bring greater attention to the questionable nature of mandatory testing.

If anyone attended today's talk and you would like to comment on what went on, please feel free to add a comment.

Correction: The Deputy Drug Czar is Mary Ann Solberg, not Dr. Andrea Barthwell, as I originally stated. Thanks to ArchPundit for the heads up.