Orlando private school to begin drug testing students

[CF DolFan]

I don't see anything wrong with this but figured I would solicit your opinions. I haven't heard of this being done anywhere else but I guess its possible. This is an expensive school already so I can only imagine what it will do to tuition. 

http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/orlando-private-school-begin-drug-testing-students/nXd32/

ORLANDO, Fla. — An Orlando private school is taking a serious stance against drugs.
Lake Highland Preparatory officials said they will soon require students to take drug tests.
Students from seventh grade through 12th will be tested starting next school year for 18 drugs, including marijuana.
If a student tests positive, their parents will be notified and the student will be tested again 100 days later.
If the second test is positive, they will be kicked out of school.

[Landshark]

It's a private school, so they can make their own rules.  If I ran my own school, I wouldn't drug test everyone, but I would do "probable cause" testing, meaning that if I suspected a student was on drugs, I would have them tested immediately.

[Phishfan]

I didn't watch the news last night but the teaser said they would be doing hair testing which is more expensive than urine tests and goes back further. I agree as a private school they can make their own choices. I'm curious how many transfers they will have away from the school as well which will also raise tuitions for existing students.

[Dave Gray]

Private school, private rules.

[Fau Teixeira]

no issues with it at all

[Buddhagirl]

I have no problem with it. If you don't like it, take your kid to school elsewhere.

[SCFinfan]

A question: what if the school receives federal, state, or local funding?

If it does, I think there is a question as to whether the school is some kind of state actor/facilitator. Then, the Constitution may apply, somewhat. Assume the preceding was true, you have a big issue: ok, so a search occurs. The search is not supported by probable cause. School is sued. Loses. Suddenly, your tax dollars went into some kid's pocket because his teacher wasn't aware they were acting on behalf of the state.

My point? Always be careful.

If my little hypothetical doesn't apply... I'm maybe not ok with it still (in the long run) . Drug testing constantly (the snippet doesn't say how often - but it does seem to indicate everyone's getting tested) is going to raise the cost of private school. It may even cause a ripple effect where, if the program is effective, other schools start picking it up. Suddenly, all of the private schools in the area are doing it, and their costs have risen up considerably due to this activity. The rise in cost causes some parents to pull their kids out of private school, and dump them into the public school system, causing an already crowded, overburdened public system to struggle even further. Not a good situation. The public system relies, in part, on the private system, because without the private system the public system would simply not be able to handle the stress caused by the extreme numbers (IMO - but I've heard politicians make that remark as well).

Of course, the above hypo is pretty damn conjectural and unlikely, so, I don't have a problem with it in the small microcosm of one school doing it. But, if it becomes a popular, widespread activity, the unintended consequences may cause a bad deal for public schools, and for the taxpayer as well.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

A question: what if the school receives federal, state, or local funding?

If it does, I think there is a question as to whether the school is some kind of state actor/facilitator.

If that was the case, than a private school that received any sort of federal, state or local funding (which in the case of colleges, includes students receiving fin. aid) would be violating the constitution if they had school led prayer.   

The reality is that if you attend a private school you are consenting to follow the rules of the school.