By SHANNON DOYNESchools in several states now require drug testing for students who want to participate in sports and other extracurricular activities, starting in middle school. Do you think this is a good idea? Why or why not?
In "Middle Schools Add a Team Rule: Get a Drug Test," Mary Pilon looks at both sides of the issue:
Olympic athletes must submit urine samples to prove they are not doping. The same is true for Tour de France cyclists, N.F.L. players, college athletes and even some high school athletes. Now, children in grades as low as middle school are being told that providing a urine sample is required to play sports or participate in extracurricular activities like drama and choir.
Such drug testing at the middle school level is confounding students and stirring objections from parents and proponents of civil liberties.
Some coaches, teachers and school administrators said drug-testing programs served as a deterrent for middle school students encountering drugs of all kinds, including steroids, marijuana and alcohol.
"We wanted to do it to create a general awareness of drug prevention," said Steve Klotz, assistant superintendent at Maryville School District in Missouri. "We're no different than any other community. We have kids who are making those decisions."
There are no known instances of a middle school student testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs like steroids or human growth hormone. The few positive results among middle school students have been attributed to marijuana, officials said, and even those cases are rare.
Continue Reading: nytimes.com
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