December 16,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, In a letter to Hopewell Valley Central High School parents this week, district Superintendent Thomas Smith spelled out his intention to propose a random drug-testing program for students next school year.
Given the events of the last few months some observers think it would be prudent for the Ridgewood School district to follow suit.
According to NJ.COM , The proposed plan comes after officials at the Hopewell Valley Central High School saw an increase in students under the influence of marijuana, prescription drugs and alcohol, he said. Smith also said the district has discovered middle school students under the influence.
During the 2015-16 school year, seven students violated the substance abuse policy, and in the 2016-17 year, the number rose to 24.
Under the proposed policy, a student who tests positive under the random test would not receive the current academic suspension, “but rather alternatives that focus on prevention such as meeting with the Student Assistance Counselor (SAC) and attending and completing an Early Intervention Program,” Smith wrote.
Superintendent Thomas Smith claimed that no test results would initiate criminal charges or an investigation. The district will not share test results with any law enforcement agency.
The policy would apply to all students in grades 9-12 who are in any extra-curricular or co-curricular activities, or any student who holds a permit to park on school property.It will also apply to any student who voluntarily elects to the program with parental consent.
I’m not just teachers
Umm…there were a lot more drugs at RHS in the 1970s then today…not even close.
I think it’s time for all person out throughout the village to be tested, why you say while they’re making decisions without our tax money we need to know the day or in the right state of mind Right.
The logic flow of the letter above amounts to “Hopewell Valley caught more kids with drugs, so Ridgewood should institute random drug testing.” Is there any evidence of an upsurge in drug use in the Ridgewood Schools? Did the increase in Hopewell Valley stem from increased usage or increased enforcement or from some combination of events?
Amendment IV
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
If we just gave the BOE eggs and sperm then those gosh darn parents wouldn’t need to be involved in the upbringing of children at all. How great would that be!
There’s a lot of talk about small government and personal liberty on this blog, and yet you call for the state to randomly drug test children? Based on another school district’s trends? How is this good policy? How is this good use of taxpayer money?