PREPNET / SPEAK OUT

Should schools--public and private--be allowed to institute mandatory drug testing for high school athletes?

MARY MULLIGAN

San Clemente, Girls’ Basketball Coach

I feel all athletes, and all other extracurricular participants, should be subjected to random drug testing during their season of sport. I also feel all coaches should be tested as well. To be involved in high school sports is a privilege, and student athletes and coaches are the most visible representatives of the high school in the community. With random drug testing, we would be giving thousands of kids an easy way to say no to drugs. We could reach thousands of students at each high school by requiring all athletes and extracurricular participants to be tested. Any student who feels threatened by the drug testing does not have to participate in athletics. I know some individual sports are already doing it at some high schools.

EVAN DAVIS

La Habra, Badminton

Yes, I think there should be mandatory drug testing in public high schools. A lot of people that do take drugs tend to flake out a lot and it can cost us as a team. People who use drugs are not dependable.

JAMES GARVEY

La Quinta, Baseball

I think they should have drug testing because you don’t want someone to go to school who’s a drug addict. If students think [the test] invades their privacy it’s OK because they shouldn’t be doing drugs in the first place. If they get caught maybe they’ll see it’s wrong to do it and they’ll stop. If they don’t get caught they’ll keep doing it. So yeah, I think it should be mandatory.

ALEX BECERRA

Santa Ana, Wrestling

I would have no problem if there were random drug testing on athletes. As a competitor, I want to play on a level field. I don’t want to go up against someone who has an unfair advantage over me. But more importantly, if a random drug test will help keep someone from trying--or maybe make them think twice about using an illegal drug--then that’s reason enough to have them.

STEVE HARRIS

Mater Dei, Baseball/Football

I think that all schools, public and private, should be allowed to institute mandatory drug testing for high school athletes. I don’t think any athletes should do any drugs. If an athlete is serious enough about a sport to want to compete at a high school level, then he/she should have enough respect for their body and not want to put stuff that will cause harm into it. The drug testing will insure that an athlete is respecting their body and help them do it. The drug testing would be a good excuse to avoid peer pressure that many athletes face.

SHANE BOROWSKI

Valencia, Baseball/Football Assistant Coach

It’s a sad day when mandatory drug testing is instituted on 14-year-olds in high school. Unfortunately, it does seem necessary, but something as personal as that should be taken care of in the home with the parents or guardians. More and more the schools are being delegated the responsibility of raising these kids. Let’s remember who is supposed to be raising them first.

BILL WHITELEY

Westminster, Baseball Coach

Who’s going to pay for drug testing? I cannot get enough baseballs to play a whole season.

NEXT QUESTION

Does your school assess extra fees to play sports? How much, and is it a fair amount?