School drug testing unconstitutional

EDITOR:

Thank you, editor (R-C June 24, 2009, "Conduct Public's Business in Public") for finally pointing out the illegalities and irregularities happening on a regular basis by our school board and school superintendent. Quite clearly someone needs to file some ethics charges against all involved here with the Nevada State Ethics Commission (http://ethics.nv.gov/) on conducting open meetings.

And while we are looking at irregularities here, when is some parent going to realize how constitutionally discriminatory it is to drug test students based solely on whether they participate in extracurricular activities?

Yes, President Trigg and Superintendent Lark have set on a drug testing policy which singles our students who work very hard to make their schools a better place while allowing others - who may be the real heart of the drug problem- to go free and untested. Yes, parents, your children have the same Constitutional rights as you do.

Today (June 25), the U.S. Supreme Court has declared the strip search of an eighth grader in search for drugs as totally unconstitutional. How constitutional can it be for a school district to say it will drug test only students who participate in extracurricular activities, and, the testing can be 24/7/365? Which says nothing at all about the illegality of the Douglas County School District abetting drug users by not notifying the proper authorities when they have information on illegal drug usage.

President Trigg and Superintendent Lark have started the Douglas County School District down a path of litigation through high-handedness and intimidation which will only increase our taxes exponentially and create more and more problems.

Both need to be replaced immediately.

Steve Lang

Gardnerville