Essay About Drug Use And Free School

Ld Debate Case On High School Drug Testing
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“The only way to have a drug free school is to follow the successful program
of the military and workplace”. This is stated by Rep. John E. Peterson in 2005.
In today’s volatile times, drug use is becoming more casual in high schools
around the country. Many schools are having to face this struggle against drug
use. Thus, I affirm that Resolved: Drug testing of high school
extracurricular activity participants is justified.
To aid clarification in this round, I now present the following definitions as
defined by the Webster Dictionary in 2005:
Extracurricular activity: not following or related to the curriculum; outside of
one’s duties.
Drug: a non-prescribed, illegal chemical substance that affects the central
nervous system causing changes in behavior and strong dependency; addiction.
Consistent: holding true as a group, not contradictory.
Justice: The principal of moral rightness, fairness. The upolding of fair treatment,
honor, standards, or law.
My value will be safety. Safety can be defined as freedom from danger, risk or
injury. Therefore, my criterion will be compliance of participants. Students joining these
activities must fulfill certain responsibilities to themselves and their fellow teammates.
Only with this compliance ensured, can safety of the student be upheld.
Contention One:
Drug testing of participants is relevant to the lowering of crime rates, and prevents
threats against the safety of their fellow students.
As stated in Wikipedia in 2005; One high school in Oceanside, California, conducted a
study in 1997 in which they started drug testing extracurricular participants before joining
the activities. Positive outcomes occurred in the school’s programs. The study showed
that drug influenced violence rates among participants were lowered considerably. From
around 42 % to 27 %. More people are likely to join an activity if
they know that they will be safe, and free of risk. As Congress proposed in 1999,
plans to regulate drug testing of high school students across the country could
promote the school district, and encourage students to stay involved with more
extracurricular programs. Research of drugs, and their side effects has shown that one’s
normal behavior pattern changes considerably, because of the chemical alteration of the
brain. Under the influence, the temper is shortened and a person will find themselves
quickly angered, with no later recollection of the upset. In this altered state, other
students are faced with the threat of being physically harmed. The fact that drugs carry a
high risk of dependency would place other students in danger when in the proximity of a
drug-addicted student. Drug testing prevents this possible situation of harm beforehand
by not admitting that student into the activity, allowing the others to remain safe.
Contention Two:
Cooperation of students during drug testing is vital to the upholding of
safety in extracurricular programs.
Some students refuse to comply with drug testing before entering an activity
because they feel that their privacy is being violated, or they express that
information on their personal habits should be kept between themselves and
their parents. A participant who has nothing to hide should realize that they are
safer, and less likely to be drawn into an act unwillingly if all possible participants
are tested. I stress the fact that students are previously notified of
the requirements for joining that activity. In an article [by Anita Baker;