Letter To Board

735 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: learners should be regularly tested for drugs at school

I would like to commend the apparent effort of the Pulaski County Board of Education in their developing the new Drug/Alcohol Screening Program now in effect in both local high schools. I am grateful to see that some advance has been made to valorize the education process in our community. However, I am discouraged to see that the main focus of this program is centered around some of the most valued students in our schools. It is to my knowledge that this program is designed to screen students involved in extracurricular activities, including sports, and student drivers. Although I do believe that there is some sort of drug use within these groups, I do not feel that this is the epicenter of the school system’s problems.

Most drug use and/or drug trafficking, I have heard of and/or witnessed has not come from any of the groups listed in your policy. I believe it makes sense that some athletes use performance enhancing drugs and/or alcohol, as do some student drivers and club participants, but I do not feel that this is the area of greatest concern to you. As I am aware of, drugs and alcohol cause a condition called demotivational syndrome, which is evident in frequent drug users. This syndrome causes a lack of motivation, followed by a decline in academic performance, followed by an ultimate decline in personal well being. Student athletes for example, are expected to maintain a rigorous practice schedule, as well as a certain grade point average, which is inconsistent with the symptoms and effects of demotivational syndrome. I believe that the greatest amount of victims of drugs and demotivational syndrome are not located in athletic or school programs, but inside the school itself. No drug user I know of and may have been familiar with is involved with sports or extracurricular activities, nor would they choose to be.

It is to my knowledge that no less than 10% of student participants in these activities will be randomly screened at any time. But, if the main drug use in schools isn’t in the activities department, but in the school itself, why couldn’t 10% of the total student body be screened? It appears to not only me but other members of the student body, that the school board tests members of athletic departments and certain extracurricular activities because they are concerned about the public image of our school system.

Show More
Related

  • Vernonia School District V. Acton (1996)

    1761 Words  | 4 Pages

    Taylor, Hopkins. Substance abuse issues to Offending Athletes. Miami: Beachwood Press, pages 35-37. 2009. Print.

    Read More

  • Vernonia School District V. Acton

    1088 Words  | 3 Pages

    Between 1985 and 1989 the Vernonia School District began to see a marked increase in disciplinary problems, drug use by students, athletic injuries, use of drugs by athletes and a student body preoccupation with the drug culture. The school district adopted a policy requiring students who participated in interscholastic athletics to sign a consent of both routine and random drug testing.

    Read More

  • Gresham Sykes's Five Major Deplusions Of Prisons

    1618 Words  | 4 Pages

    Most prisoners that are in prison now are more than likely to be free one day where some will spend the rest of their living life there. When they enter into the prison system, they lose more than just being able to wear what they want. They even lose more than just their civil liberties. Gresham Sykes was the first to outline these major deprivations that prisoners go through in his book The Society of Captives. His five major pains, which he calls “pains of imprisonment”, were loss of liberty, loss of autonomy, loss of security, deprivation of heterosexual relationships, and deprivation of goods and services. Matthew Robinson adds onto Sykes’ five pains with three more of his own. His additional pains are loss of voting rights, loss of dignity,

    Read More

  • Mandatory Drug Testing for Student Athletes

    958 Words  | 2 Pages

    In many high schools around the country, student athletes are using drugs. “The percent of students that have drunk alcohol is 72.5% while the number of students who have used marijuana is 36.8%” (Report: Nearly Half of High School Students Using Drugs, Alcohol). The students believe that since they are athletes that they do not need to abide by the rules because they feel more superior and that the narcotic will not hurt or affect them. Implementing random drug tests for athletes will create a positive image and not hurt others or themselves. Schools need to have drug tests for student athletes because drugs effect relationships, using drugs have consequences, and lastly they have a major effect on the body.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Washington And W. E. B. Dubois

    1057 Words  | 3 Pages

    “It should come as no surprise that Washington’s historical conflict culminated as a struggle between him and DuBois” (Gibson III 66). To say the least, both men were very active in the upbringing of African-Americans, but their differences in displaying out the solution was what brought them apart. Washington wanted the education system to enforce industrial teachings that started at lower economic power, while DuBois had more abstract ideas of equality and voting for African-Americans. Washington was conservative in the matter of African-American inclusion into society, hoping that given enough time and progress, people would learn to accept them, rather than fight for social power like what DuBois stood for. Despite Washington’s program that appealed to White-Americans, he was involved in politics and spoke about the disfranchisement of African-Americans. His idea of easing tensions with the superior gathered him more publicity, as to DuBois’s plan of protesting. As a result, DuBois’s idea became more prominent as it branches into what we know now as the civil rights movement. Historically, Washington and DuBois has made a name for themselves, through their intentions for the good will of African-Americans, and that is something that will always hold true in these two notorious

    Read More

  • Essay On Random Drug Testing

    592 Words  | 2 Pages

    Random testing is used more as a precaution to prevent students from taking the drugs and would eventually control the problem of student athletes taking drugs. Drug testing also has benefits to the student by encouraging them to become the best person and athlete they can be. Without drug testing, students are allowed to use illegal drugs as they please, which could potentially harm their body significantly. The advantages of illegal chemical testing in student athletes outweigh the disadvantages by a lot. Students should be pushed to their highest potential, and random drug testing in athletes can help do

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay Drug Testing

    847 Words  | 2 Pages

    In today’s society, everybody is encountered with drugs at least once. The reason for this is due to family, friends, or references in the media. Teenagers are often influenced by their peers to do drugs, and they need to be tested at their schools to prevent adolescents from partaking in this activity because the number of their peers will diminish. However, there are people who believe that testing students is against their constitutional rights. On the other hand, there are those who believe that it needs to be done to protect adolescents from using illegal drugs. Drug testing needs to take place in schools to protect all students from the physical and emotional toll on the body.

    Read More

  • Mandatory Drug Testing for High School Athletes

    1340 Words  | 3 Pages

    “A medical dictionary defines a drug as ‘any substance that when taken into the living organism may modify one or more of its functions’” (Newton 12). However, when speaking of drug testing for abuse a person is usually thinking about illegal drugs or drugs that can alter athletic performance in sporting events. Mandatory drug testing was not allowed in public schools until June 2002 when the Supreme Court allowed for public schools to do random drug testing (Carroll 23). This decision allowed for drug testing in all schools throughout the United States not just for athletes but also students who are in any activities within the school, for example clubs and competitive events (Carroll 23). Even though drug testing is now allowed by the Supreme Court many schools do not yet have mandatory drug test policies. Mandatory drug testing for high school athletes should be required because it decreases drug use in schools, is relatively inexpensive, and can prevent drug use and or abuse that can lead to a lifelong addiction.

    Read More

  • The Inmate Subculture in United States Prisons: An Overview

    1773 Words  | 4 Pages

    Prisons exist in this country as a means to administer retributive justice for those that break the laws in our society or to state it simply prisons punish criminals that are to receive a sentence of incarceration for more than one year. There are two main sub-cultures within the walls of prison the sub-culture of the Department of Corrections (which consists of the corrections officer, administrators, and all of the staff that work at the prison and go home at the end of their day) and the actual prisoners themselves. As you can imagine these two sub-cultures are dualistic in nature and this makes for a very stressful environment for both sides of the fence. While in prison, the inmates experience the same conditions as described in the previous

    Read More

  • Technology In The Medical Field Essay

    1543 Words  | 4 Pages

    There are two different types of robots that can be used in surgeries, which are passive and active. According to Gerhardus, “ A physician controls a passive robot” (245). Physicians use passive robots to help them be more precise, accurate, and safer when performing a surgery. Gerhardus states that a passive robot is mainly used to perform cardiac surgery (245). The use of robot-assisted surgery has advantages and disadvantages. Surgeons, who are willing to use robots during surgery, will improve their patient’s quality of care, and they will cause the amount of pain the patient experience to reduce, and the patient’s recovery will be much quicker (Gerhardus 245). For instance, a patient whose surgery was performed using a robotic system will recover in about a week, however; another patient who had the same surgery, but the surgeon did not use the robotic system will recover in about two weeks or sometimes even longer. Also, according to Gerhardus, “Robot-assisted surgery reduces the rate of occurrence of bacterial infections and blood transfusions” (250). According to Gerhardus the disadvantage of using robots to help perform surgery is that each medical facility will have to spend a large amount of money to make sure that the workers are educated and trained to use this type of technology, when performing a surgery (249). Even though robot-assisted surgery has a disadvantage, it is only one

    Read More

  • Prison Reform Essay

    995 Words  | 2 Pages

    Imagine being locked in a windowless, lifeless environment for 23 hours a day. For some criminals, this environment is to be endured for years. The issue of prison reform has been a popular and difficult topic in the news the past few years and continues a year after this article was published. In the New York Times article “New York Rethinks Solitary Confinement” The Editorial Board argues that prison reform in the category of isolation is not only necessary but also beneficial in rehabilitating those who have commit crimes. With the Editorial Boards use of statistics, avoidance of the words “criminal” or “prisoner” and pathos appeal by informing how particularly weak minorities are affected.

    Read More

  • Fast Food and Obesity

    2633 Words  | 6 Pages

    In today's society, fast food has become a large part of many American's lives. With the rising numbers of obese people, it is hard not to draw a correlation between the increase in fast food and obesity. Most obese people don’t want to be obese and wish they could lose weight, yet they continue to struggle with their fast food intake and obesity. This is due to the advertising done on the consumers, the highly addictive food itself, and most importantly, how advertising and addiction combine with children to form habits that are kept once they become adults. These factors are the reasons that fast food restaurants are to blame for the rising obesity and health risks across America. The government needs to step in and place regulations on these fast food restaurants so they will stop taking advantage of people's weaknesses.

    Read More

  • High School Drug Testing

    783 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...ey to getting a good job, but high school students can’t get their education if they are caught up in doing drugs. Over thirty percent of dropouts in the United States are because of drugs. The thirty percent of drug addict dropouts may never find a job. Thats why it is important for high school drug testing to be enforced among all students. High school drug testing would allow early notice of drug use and allow the school to steer the student into the right path towards success. The drug tests will give students confidence and another reason to say “No” when being peer pressured into trying drugs. Many would argue that drug testings invade their privacy, but with drug usage being at an all time high who can we count on? High schools are made to prepare students for their future, and in order to make the students successful we must allow high school drug testings.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Speech: We All Should Support Mandatory Drug Testing in Schools

    819 Words  | 2 Pages

    Specific Purpose Statement: To persuade my audience to support random and mandatory drug testing in schools and to encourage my audience to maintain a drug-free environment in school

    Read More

  • Drug Education

    1671 Words  | 4 Pages

    (2) Some experts believe the schools’ anti-drug programs are effective. Two popular programs are Drug Abuse Resistance Education (Dare), and the School Program to Educate and Control Drug Abuse (SPECA). The project Dare and SPECA programs use uniformed police officers to inform students in 5th, 6th and 7th grade about the risks of drugs, and how to avoid negative peer pressure (DeJong 109). William DeJong ,who is an analyst for the Education Development Center, has prepared this study for the National Institute of Justice (Bernards 108).

    Read More

More about Letter To Board

Open Document