Thursday, October 6, 2016

Drug Testing Comes to DHS

ANNOUNCEMENT
As a result of rising illicit drug use amongst teens (see sources below), The Board of Education is debating whether or not to institute a strong drug testing policy for the district.  
The Board of Education of the Township High School District #113 hereby invites all interested parties to air their views on the new drug testing policy (*See below) at a town hall meeting to take place beginning on October 14.
  • Each speaker must create a typewritten outline to be turned in prior to their opportunity to speak.
  • Each speaker will be limited to two minutes and is expected to have a firm grasp of the issues.  
  • Each speaker is required to demonstrate their understanding of the issues by using facts and argument from the news articles and their preparation pamphelet (see below) as well as prior Supreme Court precedent (T.LO. Acton and Earls cases).
  • Each speaker should be prepared to answer questions from the school board.
Township High School District #113 Policy:
The objectives of the District’s drug policy are:
  • To educate children and adults as to the serious physical, mental, and emotional harm caused by the use of drugs.
  • To provide a deterrent to the use of drugs by students of District #113.
  • To give students a valid reason to resist peer pressure to use drugs.
  • To provide and maintain a safe, secure school environment, free of drug use and its effects.
  • To eliminate the negative impact of drug use on the safety of students and others while traveling to and from school as well as throughout the school day and during school activities.

In order to meet the objectives of this program, all students and their parent/guardian are asked to sign a consent form agreeing to be part of the drug testing program for Township High School District #113.  During initial implementation, all students will take a mandatory drug test. Further, all students will be involved in random testing equivalent to a minimum of 10% of the group per month.  In subsequent years, incoming ninth graders will take a mandatory drug test, and all students, grades nine through twelve, will be involved in random testing at an equivalent to a minimum of 10% of the group per month.  Students entering the district after the first day or who had not been part of the initial mandatory testing will be given the test at the next random testing date.  Testing requires students to provide a urine sample, which is collected by an independent lab and screened for signs of tobacco and alcohol use, as well as for illegal substances.  If any of these substances are found as a result of the drug test, consequences will be imposed according to the policies listed on pages 14-19 of the student handbook.

Use the sources below to develop your argument.  The first three are recent news stories describing current statistics. The others are pamphlets developed by organizations on one side or other of the debate.  They are long.  Do NOT print them out but be sure you at least skim through the entire pamphlet. There is information throughout that may be persuasive.
You should have an outline prepared by Thursday October 13 which will also partially be devoted to practice and preparation.


Period 1:
Those arguing in favor of student drug testing
Those arguing against student drug testing
Adam C., Ellen, Cameron, Collin, Anna, Morgan, Eve, Jacob, Matt, Joe, Jeremy, Petar
Josh C., Lily, Adam G., Missy, Becca,Kat, Ben, Audrey, Kate, Spencer, Dana

Period 4: 
Those arguing in favor of student drug testing
Those arguing against student drug testing
Micky, Matt, Sam, Charlie, Michael, Isabel L., Stephie, Jake L, Jacob S., Niki, Ellie W.,
Abby, Chloe, Emma, Will,James ,  Ellie L, Zach, Gabi, David, Talia, Isabel Z.

 Sources





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