Maintaining a safe, orderly learning environment is a significant challenge for education leaders, especially when students insist on bringing alcohol, weapons, and drugs into schools. To compound that challenge, educators who wish to uncover contraband must do so within the confines of the Fourth Amendment's prohibition against unreasonable…

The Supreme Court, in "Vernonia School District 47J versus Acton," ruled that a school district's policy authorizing random urinalysis drug testing of student-athletes did not violate the Fourth Amendment. Discusses the decision and why such a policy is permissible under the Fourth Amendment's prohibition against unreasonable searches…

Mandatory testing of college and university athletes has met with mixed success not only in combating substance abuse but in legal arguments. Students have claimed that drug testing violates their constitutional rights of equal protection, protection against unreasonable search and seizure, and due process, and is a gross invasion of privacy.…

Addresses the Fourth Amendment constitutional challenges facing high school student-athlete drug testing programs and applies the findings in the U.S. Supreme Court decision in the "Vernonia versus Acton" case, the first drug-testing case involving high school student athletes to be decided by the Court, by recommending 12 safeguards…

In "Acton," the Supreme Court upheld a local school board policy calling for the random, suspicionless drug testing of interscholastic student-athletes. Reviews the Court's holdings. Concludes that a drug-testing policy that is consistent with "Acton" and enjoys broad-based community support probably would be worth its expense.…

In June 1995, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Vernonia (Oregon) School District's right to conduct random drug tests of its student athletes. The court balanced a seventh grader's privacy interest with the state's interest in curbing drug abuse among student athletes. Before adopting drug-testing policies, school boards should assess the local…

Examines the National Collegiate Athletic Association's drug testing program of student-athletes and relevant legal decisions. Concludes that each individual urinalysis search, not based on suspicion, is a violation of the student-athlete's privacy and is an unreasonable search in violation of the Fourth Amendment. (100 references) (MLF)

Addresses the question of institutional duty of care in college sports. Asks if the Supreme Court's decision in "Vernonia," which held that random, suspicionless urinalysis testing of student-athletes is allowed, gives college officials a free hand in conducting random, suspicionless searches for college athletes and nonathletes alike.…

Examines whether Fourth Amendment of United States Constitution applies to relationship between student athlete and educational institution and whether drug testing is illegal search and seizure in violation of the amendment. Suggests that institutions strike an appropriate balance between helping student athletes protect their own health, while…

In "Acton," the Supreme Court upheld a local school board policy calling for the random, suspicionless drug testing of interscholastic student athletes. The Supreme Court reasoned that student athletes have a low expectation of privacy; the scope of the search was relatively unobtrusive; and the program served an important government…