A northern New Jersey school district has adopted a voluntary random drug testing program for middle school students.
Parental consent is required for sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students in the Belividere school district.
Those who test positive will be required to attend an early intervention program and have routine visits with a guidance counselor or nurse at least six times. Parents must also pay for the cost of any prescribed treatment.
According to School District Superintendent Dirk Swaneveld, “we hope the program works as a deterrent and to help kids.”
Belvidere High School has had random drug testing for athletes and students in extracurricular activities since 2008.
The new policy will also allow police officers to appear undercover in the school, according to authorities.
“The chief school administrator may request law enforcement authorities conduct an undercover operation in the school if less intrusive means of law enforcement intervention prove ineffective,” officials said in a statement.
With the growing number of kids doing drugs, would you allow your child to be randomly tested by the school and undercover police or would you rather randomly test them yourself?
And will random drug tests make the kids feel like they’re untrustworthy?
