Alcohol Testing For Students?! "Brilliant" or "Batty"

Kids appear to have changed very little since the day I was young, just like today there are good ones, bad ones and those you wonder about. For the most part underage drinking did go on then as it does today. This is just part of the youth culture and common everyday peer pressure.

Now here is the off the wall idea that Harvey Polanski has... imposing a Breathalyzer test at school functions. Although this idea has not yet been approved, Polanski intends to ask the school board to approve it. Adults working at school events will be the ones required to administer these tests to students.

When I personally asked students how they felt about this idea, many outright laughed and those that did not felt it was a violation of their privacy. One student called it extreme and characteristic of a "police state" mentality.

Should Polanski succeed in getting this mandatory test approved, students indicated that he better start patting down students as well. One student, who does not want his name mentioned, indicated that if he chooses to get drunk at prom night he will just show up sober, and drink inside the event after he is tested.

Knowing the will and resolve of kids, I can agree that this will agitate a "cat and mouse" game with authorities. This program will also cost the taxpayers money that is in short supply. Adults will need training, and police will be involved in prosecuting kids at school events who may have tested positive for alcohol, when in reality they could be under the influence of an alcohol based medication like cough syrup.

Hopefully this terrible idea will not pass as it sends a clear and compelling message to our town kids that they must all lose their liberty and trust because of a few kids with an alcohol problem. School staff, and teachers for the most part already know what kids pose the greatest risks of drug abuse and alcoholism without a needed test. It is not hard to recognize a drunken youth, faculty senses do not need to be replaced with costly digital machines.

This news is also preceded by automakers exploring the introduction of the Alcokey system. This system will require that the driver blow into a tube, passing this sobriety test will result in the reward of your car starting. Some fear that onstar will also get in on this "nanny state" technology and actually call the police if the Alcokey system fails the driver.