Urge Senators to vote NO on SB2653 - Student Drug Testing Bill in Senate Education Committee on Wed., April 2

Dear Friends,

SB2653, sponsored by Sen. Tracy, will be heard in the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday, April 2 at 8:00 am in LP 12. We urge you to contact your Senator (especially if s/he serves on the Education Committee) to vote NO on SB2653.

You can read SB2653 by clicking here.

Talking Points and Senate Education Committee members are listed below. To find out who your senator is go to http://www.congress.org, type in your zip code and click “Go,” and you will get a list of all of your elected officials. (You may have to type in your street address if your zip code is split between more than one district).

Thanks,
Hedy

Talking Points:

While ACLU-TN is concerned about drug use among young people, we do not believe that SB2653 is the solution. In fact, random drug testing in schools has been proven to be ineffective in deterring drug use among young people. Results from the largest national study on student drug testing found no difference in rates of drug use between schools with drug testing programs and those without (Journal of School Health, April 2003).
Extracurricular activities are a proven means of helping students stay out of trouble with drugs. However, random drug testing may prevent some students from participating in these activities because of the embarrassment of the drug test and the possibility of false positives. Additionally, after school programs provide students who are experimenting with or misusing drugs with productive activities and contact with trusted adults and peers who can help them identity and address problematic drug use.
Random drug testing in schools has a negative impact on the school environment by undermining relationships of trust between students and teachers, coaches and administrators. Random drug testing can create an atmosphere of “us v. them,” with students no longer feeling like they can confide in those who are also policing them.
Random drug testing infringes upon students’ privacy rights. In order to eliminate tampering with the sample, the bill requires that a witness be present when the student is creating the sample. In addition, in order to ensure against the possibility of false positives, schools often ask students to identify their prescription medications before taking a drug test. Many schools that have implemented random drug testing policies have not taken the proper measures to protect this private information.
Tennessee currently has a law that allows student drug testing when there is reasonable suspicion that the student may have used drugs or be under the influence of drugs. There is no need for additional laws.

Senate Education Committee Members:

Sen. Jamie Woodson, Chair (R – Knoxville)

309 War Memorial Bldg.

Nashville, TN 37243-0206

Phone:(615) 741-1648

Fax: (615) 253-0270

sen.jamie.woodson@legislature.state.tn.us

Sen. Reginald Tate (D – Memphis)

2 Legislative Plaza

Nashville, TN 37243-0033

Phone (615) 741-2509

Fax (615) 253-0167