ERIC Number: ED469167
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2002-Apr
Pages: 10
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Texas Superintendents' Role in Student Fourth Amendment Rights.
Edmonson, Stacey
This study analyzed the current student drug testing policies of Texas public school districts in the context of the Fourth Amendment rights of students. Court decisions on this issue conflict, and school administrators, attorneys, and other concerned parties may be interested in knowing school districts policies. Responses were received from 827 of the 1,056 public school districts in Texas. Of these, 169 districts currently had drug testing policies in place, and the majority of policies had been in place for 1 to 5 years. Policies had generally been in place longer in the 12 districts that are state-sponsored schools for juvenile offenders or troubled children. Findings make it clear that the implementation of drug testing policies in Texas school districts increased as a result of the Veronia decision in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that random suspicionless drug testing of student athletes as a condition for participation in interscholastic athletics did not violate the Fourth Amendments prohibition against unreasonable searches and seizures. In only four districts had there been legal challenges to the drug testing policy. About 10% of Texas districts not currently using drug testing plan to do so at a later date. Two recent court decisions have favored students rights over the schools power to require such testing, and it seems likely that challenges of school policies are likely to increase. (SLD)
Publication Type: Reports - Research; Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Texas
Identifiers - Laws, Policies, & Programs: Fourth Amendment
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A