Should teachers be required to undergo random drug testing?

Topic:
Education Debates

17 Contributors
in this discussion.

Yes
65% of users

  • I think that teachers should undergo random drug testing, just as other people who work in any public environment do.

    I think that teachers should have to undergo random drug testing to ensure compliance with the policies of their designated school districts. We entrust our children to them everyday and, not only is it a safety issue, it is also a matter of setting a good example. We can not tell our children not to use drugs and expect any less of the people who are trying to enforce this.

    Yes UnsuitableRigoberto99

  • Teachers touch the future and the future needs to be protected.

    Teachers should be held to a higher standard than other types of employees. They deal with America's future and these children are impressionable and vulnerable. Teachers must set a very good example for their students. People who use drugs should not be teachers. If we don't drug test then we risk teachers showing up for work under the influence of drugs.

    Yes MycaMy

  • I believe anyone who comes in contact with children should be randomly drug tested.

    Drug abuse is a huge problem all over the world. Obviously that means there are teachers that battle the problem as well. It is horrible to think that someone who has children's education as their responsibility may be doing their job incorrectly because of drug use. For that reason I believe all teachers should be tested periodically.

    Yes 54nShaI

  • Teachers should be subject to random drug testing, because of the authority they wield.

    Teachers should be subject to random drug testing because they are in a position of authority, and drug abuse is likely to cause them to abuse that authority. Furthermore, teachers lead by example. Students who see a teacher under the influence of drugs can only conclude that drug use is acceptable.

    Yes JamieM

  • Yes, I believe that teachers should be subject to random drug testing, because we are entrusting our children to them.

    We entrust teachers with the immense responsibility of helping to form the thoughts and opinions of our children. People who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol are obviously not thinking with a clear mind. Their behavior could be tainted when dealing with our children in the classroom. Random drug testing would encourage teachers to remain straight and sober, because they would be faced with losing their jobs, and would also be faced with disgrace within their community.

    Yes C0n5Iight

  • Yes, teachers should be required to undergo random drug testing because they use government funds and are in a union, why should they be any different than anyone else?

    Yes, teachers should be required to undergo random drug testing because they use government/taxpayer money and are in a union so they shouldn't be any different than private industries. They are also teaching our children and should not subject them to any drug use at all or teach them with drugs in them. Since they are using taxpayer money and are not a private industry the penalties should be harsher.

    Yes MycCra2ii

  • Anyone in a position with access to children should have random drugs testing.

    Anyone - no matter how reliable their appearance - can have a habit they don't want people to know about. Drug users occur in every class of people. I think it is safe to presume that most people would not want someone under the influence of a mind altering substance to teach their children - given the number of personality effecting side-effects possible - and therefore, I believe teachers should undergo random drug testing to insure that they do not show up in class high.

    Yes DuaneAir

  • Teachers should set an example for the students to tell them how important it is.

    When we ask students (small children or big ones) what to do and what not, they follow their role models. In childhood, teachers are their role models. To set an example, teachers do it voluntarily and the children will follow.

    Yes MeirP4p4

  • Yes, teachers should be required to undergo random drug testing so that we can be sure whether those teachers are really trustworthy or not.

    Nowadays we cannot really trust the teachers who teach our children. Random drug testing will weed out the bad people in the teaching profession, and will make us sure that our children are safe and in the best hands while at school.

    Yes danoneeno

  • I think that teachers should undergo random drug testing, so long as other professions that are related are required.

    It is important for those who are influencing our children to be making responsible choices so that they are able to be sufficient role models. If a teacher is under an influence, as any other profession, which effects their performance, it should be regulated.

    Yes KennedyB

  • I think that teachers should be required to undergo random drug tests, just as any other worker at any other job would.

    When working with children, it is very important that anyone should be drug free. Most other jobs require their employees to undergo random drug tests (this is rarely enforced, but almost all places have this guideline laid out in their paperwork). It is especially important with those of influential jobs to take drug tests at random to ensure that our children get the best education that tax payer money can provide.

    Yes I33Horray
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No
35% of users

  • I am opposed to random drug testing for teachers, because it is an unnecessary and costly measure.

    Teachers are already subject to stringent background testing and quality controls. A teacher with any kind of drug conviction would not be hired, and a teacher who gave the impression that they might be using illegal drugs would be quickly dismissed. Our teachers are already subject to strict regulations regarding conduct, which should be effective as it is. Drug testing is very expensive, and would add an unnecessary burden to already limited education budgets. Random drug testing would simply waste money, when a far more reasonable approach would be to test teachers only if they gave evidence of impairment on the job.

    No BoorishKraig93

  • No, not until EVERY politician, general, priest and anyone else with power are also checked.

    First of all, this is against the spirit of the US Constitution. You are supposed to be free in "your person" against searches. The yes votes here know little about Freedom. Freedom means a person should be able to smoke a joint on Sat night, or even have 5 drinks.....or do most anything they wish to do, and not be fired because of it. But the more important point - Politicians control TRILLIONS, they send people to war, they make decisions about MANY things which affect our lives. Should they be screened for sanity, drinking and drugs? The answer is that it will never happen, because they have power. Will Priests be drug and alcohol tested? No, again, they have power. As usual, the authoritarians are out in full force on the Yes side - wanting to lord it over the weak, while excusing the strong from the same treatment.

    No Anonymous

  • It's unconstitutional and an invasion of privacy to require drug testing for any government job.

    The last employer that should be drug testing individuals is the United States government. The only way it would be justified is if the teacher is exhibiting strange behavior that could be linked to drug use. Drug testing otherwise should not be required.

    No TawdryAmado76

  • No, I oppose random drug tests for teachers, because such tests are ineffective.

    Random drug tests for teachers would be counterproductive to the goal of improving our educational system. We have a right to expect good performance and good judgment from teachers while they are on duty. Drug tests measure neither performance nor judgment, but they do harm morale by treating teachers like potential criminals. They add the stress over the chance of a false positive on a test to an already stressful job. Student testing and the watchful eyes of colleagues, administrators, students, and parents already monitor teacher performance and judgment on the job. Proponents of drug testing might argue that the presence of illegal drugs in a teacher's body is indicative of poor judgment. However, one cannot determine the quality of the judgment without knowing how the chemicals came to be in a body, and tests do not reveal that information. Furthermore, the drug tests look for only a few of the hundreds of drugs (mostly legal pharmaceuticals) that can affect teacher performance and judgment.

    No LuciaL

  • I do not feel that teachers should have to undergo random drug testing, because it does not reflect on their qualities as a teacher.

    Drug usage and testing in America has changed dramatically throughout the years. High level persons in every genre of business from politics, medical, legal, educational and corporate world have identified and admitted to previous or current drug usage. That usage does not reflect how well a person is able to perform their jobs or the quality of their work. There have been employment studies done that showcase that 'users' miss less time from work, are more creative and produce much more than non-users of drugs.

    No ladeedeeme

  • Although teachers are responsible for our children, drug testing is an invasion of privacy that isn't necessary.

    I believe that even though teachers are responsible for our children while at school, the issue of invasion of privacy takes precedence over everything else. What teachers do in their own time should not be the concern of the community and random drug testing interferes with the right to privacy in ones life. If teachers are drug tested then so should almost every other citizen that works since all jobs have some level of importance in the community.

    No 54IInferno
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