When trying to change minds, programs, or implementing something new, resistance will naturally occur. Resistance to change and disagreements are part of the school experience.

Many school leaders and educators feel pressure when trying to bring about change in the school community, such as trying to implement a policy for preventing alcohol and drug use within the school community.

Remember:
You can't expect parents, teachers, coaches or any other responsible citizen to make a wise decision when you or they are not sufficiently educated. It is important to educate members of your community and open the floor for discussion, and bring all fears and concerns out into the open. Look for reasons why individuals may not support the program. Then, educate yourself on how to respectfully address their concerns.

Let's take a look at common misconceptions about student drug testing. As you will see, there are two sides to student drug testing. The following are common concerns and fears about SDT that may be discussed and addressed.

The list is in order by topic or, area of concern. Click on the link and it will take you to the topic of interest.

Areas of Concern About Student Drug Testing:

• Abusing Drugs That Are Not Being Tested
• Academic Records and Career Advancement
• Alcohol
• Cheating on Drug Tests
• Drug Test Accuracy & False Positives
• Funding
• "Guilty Until Proven Innocent"
• Joining Extracurricular Activities
• Privacy

Response: The purpose of student drug testing programs is to deter students from starting to use drugs and creates an environment that does not allow drug abuse. A student drug testing program coupled with a supportive comprehensive drug-prevention program should create that type of environment. In addition, by doing some initial research and regular evaluation, schools should be able to detect which drugs are being used in the student body and adapt testing strategies which reflect the nature of the problem.¹¹ Special order drug tests can detect virtually all abused drugs.

Response: The implementation of the drug prevention educational program along with the message that illegal drugs will not be tolerated curb the alcohol and tobacco use as well.

Response: Results from drug tests are strictly confidential and are protected by law. Colleges will not ask for drug test results and high schools can not release them.

Response: Saliva and urine tests can identify alcohol use if the student has ingested alcohol within the past few hours. There are other test methods that can be used to curb this problem. For example, hair tests can detect alcohol-cocaine combination use. In addition, the implementation of the drug prevention educational program along with the message that drugs will not be tolerated should curb alcohol and tobacco use as well.

Response: There are several approaches which can be used to reduce this problem. One solution is to alternate between urine, oral fluids and hair testing so the student will not know which test to expect. A second solution is to immediately test students after they are told to be tested so that opportunities for cheating are minimized. In addition, most urine cups purchased for drug testing have built-in temperature gauges to detect any fluids that may be added to the urine sample when collected. Laboratories also have techniques to detect contaminants in urine samples. If hair samples or saliva tests are performed, there is very little opportunity for cheating.

Response: Drug tests are far less than 100% successful in identifying infrequent drug users. Drug tests are most effective in identifying chronic drug users, students who use drugs frequently. Drug tests only identify the presence of drugs when drugs are present in excess of a threshold, or "cut-off", which is defined for each drug and for each type of drug test.

Response: Drug testing is a bargain, costing about $10-20 per test. If 50% of eligible students are tested during the school year, for 1,000 eligible students the entire testing budget is $5,000 to $10,000. Funding may be found through financial aid, grants, private organizations, non-profit foundations, or donations. The Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools offers grants to comprehensive drug-free programs including random drug testing. It is much cheaper to use effective education and prevention techniques than it is to pay for treatment or damage to families and communities as a result of drug abuse. SDT is a preventative tool that is part of a larger educational program targeting illegal drug use.

Response: Student drug testing programs are not about a lack of trust and proving innocence or guilt. SDT programs are there for the protection of the students. Students are helped and educated on the dangers of drug use. If students fail drug tests, they are educated, not punished. SDT is part of the learning process. The program is used as a tool for deterring students from using illegal drugs at a time when they are particularly vulnerable to peer pressure and being introduced to illicit substances.²

Response: While there is no scientific evidence to support this claim, some schools with student drug testing have reported an increase in student participation of after-school activities compared to schools with no student drug testing.⁵ Students in sports and extracurricular activities often act as role models for other students.¹⁵

Response: The Fourth Amendment states:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. U.S. Constitution