SHOULD STUDENTS AND TEACHERS BE TESTED FOR DRUG USE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS Research Paper

SHOULD STUDENTS AND TEACHERS BE TESTED FOR DRUG USE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS - Research Paper Example The issue of drugs has been identified as one of the major issue affecting education in both private and public schools (Muscat, 2007). However, the public schools are more affected than the private schools. According to Samaha (2011), an assistant vice principal in a public school in the state of New Jersey found a student with marijuana and rolling papers used to smoke it. This is an indication that the student was using drugs that could affect her health and the social health of other students. This case can suggest that the use of drugs might be prevalent among students in all the public schools in the United States. There are also teachers who have been identified by the school administrators of public schools to be using drugs while teaching or before teaching. The use of drugs by both students and teacher is greatly affecting education in the public schools. Therefore, any teacher of all public educational establishments, regardless of whether it is high school, elementary or kindergarten, should be tested for drug use. Moreover, all the students in the public schools, especially the adolescent and young adults, should be tested for drugs. The testing of teachers and students for drug use would help to identify whom drugs affect most. This can help both the school administration and the government to decide the measure that are required to be taken to safeguard the social life of other students, as well as the quality of education. According to Alexander & Alexander (2011), the educational profession is heavily regulated in terms of the expected codes of conduct of the professions, as well as their responsibilities towards one another and towards students. The regulations imposed on this profession are mainly aimed at improving the safety of both the teachers and the students. The regulations are also aimed at improving the quality of education and to promote learning