Drug Testing for School Athletes - 966 Words

Drug use in school athletics has become a substantial problem in today’s society. With the rising pressure to succeed and the high level intensity in athletics, it does not come to a surprise that so many student–athletes are giving in to drugs. Many schools that are faced with drug use are turning to mandatory drug tests for student-athletes; however mandatory drug tests are a violation of the Fourth Amendment, the Fifth Amendment and drug testing reverses the legal principle of innocent until proven guilty. In order to protect the rights of the American people, drug testing student-athletes without suspicion and without sufficient evidence should not be introduced into school athletics due to the fact that it violates the Fourth†¦show more content†¦Since the school possesses no such evidence to incriminate the athletes, asking them to submit a drug test is essentially asking them to provide the evidence that will prove their guilt. Some people believe th at schools have the right to force students to participate in mandatory drug tests to protect the school as a whole, but in reality the School possesses no right to invade on the individual rights of the students themselves. An example of drug testing violating the Fifth Amendment is a court case involving a Pennsylvania School. The court ruled the schools drug testing policy unconstitutional because it violated the Fifth Amendment (American Civil Liberties Union). The school was ultimately forcing the students to submit to drug tests without compelling evidence. The students were basically providing the evidence of their guilt which is a violation of the constitution. Mandatory Drug testing within schools reverses the legal principle of innocent until proven guilty and also violates the Fourth and Fifth Amendments of the Constitution. Without suspicion of drug use, there is no probable cause to test student-athletes for drugs, thus violating the Fourth Amendment right to be free from unlawful searches. Drug testing student-athletes without acquiring sufficient evidence to base accusations on, is essentially asking them to provide the evidence of their own guilt which violates the Fifth Amendment right to protectShow MoreRelatedMandatory Drug Testing for High School Athletes Essay1338 Words   |  6 Pagesdefines 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 al lowed in public schools until June 2002 when the Supreme Court allowed for public schools to do random drug testing (Carroll 23). 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