Random student drug testing programs are invasive, unproven, expensive and, perhaps most important, potentially counterproductive. Testing can erect barriers to participation in extracurricular activities - the very activities that provide structure and supervision during the peak hours of adolescent drug use, from 3-6 p.m.  Testing may also trigger oppositional behavior, such as trying to beat the test and can erode relationships of trust between students and adults at school, damaging an essential component of a safe and rewarding learning environment.

In 2004 we launched a public education campaign, in conjunction with the American Civil Liberties Union, to provide parents, students, and educators with tools to oppose these deeply problematic policies. Our educational booklet, Making Sense of Student Drug Testing: Why Educators Are Saying No, documents the key flaws in random student drug testing as well as the components of promising alternatives.

“Parents, educators, and health professionals are looking for the best way to keep students safe. Unquestioning acceptance of drug testing is harmful, and the more we ask questions, the more effectively we can respect and support young people.” -- Jennifer Kern, co-author of Making Sense of Student Drug Testing: Why Educators Are Saying No

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