Posted By: Pro Educator (2:17pm 07-17-2008)

Report Abuse

Probably the same percentage as other professions. Other occupations have random drug testing, and do just fine.

A momentary lapse in a classroom can have devastating effects (hallucination, violent outburst, sleeping, etc...)

Posted By: SeenItAll (10:14pm 07-16-2008)

Report Abuse

To WVU fan -

Do you want your son or daughter teaching druggies? CASE CLOSED

Posted By: freedom (12:15am 07-16-2008)

Report Abuse

I'm trying not to be absolutist.
If there is some valid reason to suspect a bus driver is abusing drugs, then you can make a persuavive argument for a specified (not random) test. A momentary lapse in judgement could cause injury or death.
I can't really think of any good reason a teacher should be tested. If they aren't performing well there are other steps that can be taken.

Posted By: make up your mind (12:06am 07-16-2008)

Report Abuse

"Posted By: freedom (12:28am 07-15-2008)

How is it that we can preach patriotism, salute the flag, sing the anthem and heap praises on our military who are out there dying for our freedoms, and at the same time be yelling to give up those very same freedoms without a shot being fired. It's sad.
No one should be "randomly" drug tested. It is a farce. If someone is performing poorly the reason should be looked into. Otherwise, we are innocent until proven guilty"

"Posted By: freedom
I don't think anyone should have to do this unless you are in a position where safety and security is paramount (such as a bus driver)..."

So which is it "freedom"? No one should be tested...or just those evil bus drivers? Teachers are also in a position where safety and security are paramount.

Posted By: freedom (11:52am 07-16-2008)

Report Abuse

Are a lot of teachers and administrators in Putnam county doing drugs? How is this affecting the quality of education there? Can no one think of a better way to remedy this than drug testing?
I don't think anyone should have to do this unless you are in a position where safety and security is paramount (such as a bus driver) and there is some valid reason to suspect you may be doing drugs.

Posted By: Professional Educator (11:39am 07-16-2008)

Report Abuse

I teach in Putnam, and I'd love to see teachers and administrators tested as well. If it makes for a safer school environment, then its worth every penny spent.

Posted By: fair (11:14am 07-16-2008)

Report Abuse

To me it is only a matter of fairness.

If bus drivers and maintenance workers can be tested, athletes (at least in Putnam) can be tested, and dogs can sniff out students' lockers, then teachers should not be excluded.

If teachers do not want to be subject to random testing, they should also ask that others not be tested.

I am not a fan of the random drug test...I just want to see some fairness here. I am clean and have nothing to fear from a random test...but that does not mean that I am ready to give up some of my liberty to take part in one of these tests.

Posted By: freedom (11:00am 07-16-2008)

Report Abuse

I don't think teachers should smoke pot. Mainly because it's illegal which makes it an irresponsible thing for someone who should be a mentor and good example to kids. This includes parents. (whether or not it should be legal, or impairs performance is another issue).
But why should we submit the 98% of teachers who would never touch drugs to the invasion of privacy that a drug test entails? If a teacher has a drug problem there will be other signs. If their performance is poor or behavior erratic there should be a process in place to handle whatever might be going on.
To those who say that innocent people have nothing to hide, please post your banking records, your personal emails and transcripts of all your phone conversations here. I would also like to come into your house and have a look around, just to make sure you really are innocent.

Posted By: you are an idiot (10:40am 07-16-2008)

Report Abuse

You can't get drug finding from "7 years ago" in a urine test. You're just trying to make an excuse for when your test comes back positive.

Posted By: wvufan (9:47am 07-16-2008)

Report Abuse

iamaprofessional, that is exactly the problem, YOU SMOKE POT, you should be fired

Posted By: imaprofessional (5:02am 07-16-2008)

Report Abuse

Ok.....this is rediculous. I have a professional degree and have a job in which i have the hightest responsibility one has . I smoke pot occasionally and see no problem with that decision. As long as someone does not come to work impaired i feel this shouldn't be an issue. Now if your child's second grade teacher comes to class smelling of whiskey and can barely hold her head up this is a problem. If someone is sober......how can you label them a drug addict by failing a pee test because they smoked a joint three weeks ago while at a college reunion. Cocaine, crack, heroin and most other hard-core drugs are out of one's system in most times less than three days,pot binds to fat and hangs around a little longer. A job does not define who you are but gives a person a means to support themselves. Teachers aren't giving lessons at walmart while standing in line; nor is a coal miner in his back yard trying to find coal on his days off. What people do behind closed dores is their own busin

Posted By: another way to divert money from students (9:41pm 07-15-2008)

Report Abuse

They make a non-invasive salava swipe for $4 that tells if someone is impaired. A urine test will fire a teacher if he smoked a joint 7 years ago in high school. The cost is over $200,000 and is the basis for one of the fasted growing gimmicks being sold to corporations around the country. The kids know if a teacher is on drugs better than any test so there is your watchdog. Maybe it's time to talk about education?

Posted By: Upper Kanawha (9:04pm 07-15-2008)

Report Abuse

I say we test all the parents. I think you would find a much higher precentage of parents that were druggies than teachers. I don't why some people are even allowed to have children.

Posted By: pj (7:25pm 07-15-2008)

Report Abuse

I say test all the school workers, especially the teachers. Why should teachers spend time teaching when they can get the day off to get tested. I think we should also test the children. It is not against the law to do random drug test on children who play in sports. I say test all the student who play sports. After all the Supreme Court ruled in 2002 in the case, Board of Education of Independent School District No. 92 of Pottawatomie County et al.v. Earls et al. that testing students who were involved in extracurricular activities did not violate the 4th amendment. So, why stop at testing the employees lets go after the kids. After all its legal.

Posted By: Kate (7:14pm 07-15-2008)

Report Abuse

I hope the board does not take away funds from the library. The public library was my only salvation growing up , going to a school system that failed to meet my needs. The libraries are the only way some students can excess a computer. Students use the libraries more than Pete Thaw knows. I am sure there are students who the school system has failed who are finding their salvation from failure at school. Just because the money isn't going into your pocket Pete, do assume it is being wasted. Since my own children have been in school , I have seen the school system wastes more in one year that the library wastes in 10 years.

Posted By: formerteacher (5:49pm 07-15-2008)

Report Abuse

It maybe a little known fact to the public but every lawyer in the state knows that it is still in WV Code that if a school board deems a teacher's conduct as immoral they can be terminated. The Code does not specify what is deemed immoral...so the joint "Joe" smokes over the weekend without any students around could cost him his job on Monday morning...we need to stop and think this through. Not to mention the policy has to be iron clad in order to stand up against all of the lawsuits waiting to be filed by the teacher organizations...and rightly so unless the state code changes.

Posted By: WVUfan (4:34pm 07-15-2008)

Report Abuse

do you want drugees teaching your kids? CASE CLOSED

Posted By: freedom (12:28am 07-15-2008)

Report Abuse

How is it that we can preach patriotism, salute the flag, sing the anthem and heap praises on our military who are out there dying for our freedoms, and at the same time be yelling to give up those very same freedoms without a shot being fired. It's sad.
No one should be "randomly" drug tested. It is a farce. If someone is performing poorly the reason should be looked into. Otherwise, we are innocent until proven guilty.

Posted By: J (11:28am 07-15-2008)

Report Abuse

IMPAIRMENT TESTING is what is needed, not drug testing. The joint that was smoked over the weekend has NOTHING to do with a teacher's ability to teach today.

Random drug tests violate the 4th amendment. If a teacher "acts high", test them for impairment! The presence of drug metabolites DOES NOT indicate that they're high, or unable to work.

But the drug testing companies wouldn't like that, would they. This is a waste of money, when it could be done so much more effectively, and without violating the right to privacy.

Posted By: Fair (9:27am 07-15-2008)

Report Abuse

It seems only fair to test the teachers and principals. School bus drivers are tested, and so are maintenance workers. Drug-sniffing dogs are used to check the students' lockers. The teachers and principals should not be excluded.

If they are "clean" they have nothing to fear.

Posted By: fastdriver (8:31am 07-15-2008)

Report Abuse

I admire Pete Thaw so very much! He tells it like it is--doesn't tiptoe around the issue but gets right to the point. And he questions: Why shouldn't everyone do that? You go Pete!

Posted By: fastdriver (8:28am 07-15-2008)

Report Abuse

As a former teacher, I had the unfortunate experience of working with some co-teachers who were on drugs.
Hello: they should not be in the classroom with children. What type of example is that? Plus they are a danger. Still know several teachers who are on drugs and still in the classrooms.And why are they allowed to teach when it is well-known about them? Every Kan.Co. Bd. of Ed.employee should be drug tested..from the top downward.

Posted By: blue_gold (7:59am 07-15-2008)

Report Abuse

Although I agree that pot should be legalized I do think random drug testing for teachers and others that deal with our kids on a daily basis should be allowed. This is done at most workplaces so why should it not be done for those that educate our kids?

On another note, I have a hard time accepting that God thinks it is ok for us to set around and be stoned. The apple from the tree in the garden of eden came from the earth as well and is all natural but it still got Adam and Eve kicked out, didn't it?

Posted By: VivVan (4:42am 07-15-2008)

Report Abuse

Go for it Pete..Keep up the good work!

Posted By: w.w.wheels (2:24am 07-15-2008)

Report Abuse

Well, let's just take a hair sample annually from all citizens, test for drug use and if testing produces any positives then prosecute them for everything they have. This way, we'll have virtually the entire population in jail, except for the do-gooders...will that make everybody happy or not?? Zero tolerance doesn't work and is predicated upon a myth. Seriously folks, first we should redefine the very term "drugs" in this context and then set our (new) priorities. Pot is not a drug; at least in the sense that God made it as is...no processing needed for the pretty flowers. If this were done properly, the available resources could be put to much better use and the governments will gain a lot of credibility.