Implementation of an Aggressive Random Drug-Testing Policy in a Rural School District: Student Attitudes Regarding Program Fairness and Effectiveness

Abstract

School districts are increasingly initiating random drug-testing (RDT) programs in an effort to curb substance-use rates among students, yet little is known about student attitudes toward RDT and potential obstacles to program acceptance and effectiveness. The authors surveyed 1011 9th through 11th grade students in 2 rural high schools in North Florida regarding the pending implementation of one of the most aggressive RDT programs in the nation. A significant majority of students predicted that RDT would be effective, yet students were more clearly divided in their perceptions of the fairness and the accuracy of testing. Student perceptions of whether there is a drug problem at their school proved to be a robust predictor of perceptions of policy fairness. Student substance-use rates were more limited predictors of policy effectiveness and fairness. These results may prove useful to school administrators, health professionals, and policy makers seeking to build acceptance for RDT in their schools.

Políticas implementadas en escuelas rurales: Análisis bibliométrico internacional (2001-2020)

“…Los 20 artículos analizados se encuentran recogidos en la bibliografía (Baker et al, 2017;Balarin & Benavides, 2010;Castro, 2020;Evans et al, 2006;Fahrenwald et al, 2013;Hannum, 2020;Johnson & Howley, 2015;Knutas, 2017;Morgan & Blackmore, 2013;Okitsu & Edwards, 2017;Pescador & Valentini, 2019;Qian et al, 2020;Rao & Ye, 2016;Romo, 2013;Sakaue, 2018;Sookrajh & Joshua, 2009;Yu, 2020;Zenda, 2020bZenda, , 2020aZhang, 2020;Zhao, 2011).…”

“…En este artículo nos centraremos en la política educativa, por ser un aspecto que afecta notablemente al desarrollo y potenciación de escuelas rurales, a la definición de sus procesos identitarios y al cierre de las escuelas rurales (Johnson & Howley, 2015;Schafft, 2016;Zhao, 2011). Al respecto, se puede diferenciar entre la política hegemónica que afecta a todos los sistemas educativos (Balarin & Benavides, 2010;Knutas, 2017), las diferentes políticas escolares nacionalesregionales-locales externas aprobadas sean éstas específicamente para escuelas rurales o para todas (Castro, 2020;Hannum, 2020;Johnson & Howley, 2015;Qian et al, 2020;Rao & Ye, 2016;Sakaue, 2018;Zhao, 2011), y la política interna de las escuelas, dependiente de los profesionales y las comunidades próximas (Baker et al, 2017;Evans et al, 2006;Morgan & Blackmore, 2013). Asimismo, la política educativa puede afectar a uno o más planos de la escuela rural (plano económico, comunitario, lingüístico, etc.…”

“…Con el auge de las escuelas urbanas, en ocasiones la investigación ha puesto de relieve que la escuela rural ha pasado a constituir una realidad invisible, abandonada y/o silenciada para la política educativa (Johnson & Howley, 2015;Knutas, 2017). Así, algunas preocupaciones propias de las escuelas urbanas (como el control del consumo de drogas o el uso de la tecnología en las aulas) cobran cada vez más sentido en las escuelas rurales (Baker et al, 2017;Evans et al, 2006;Fahrenwald et al, 2013;Pescador & Valentini, 2019).…”

Adolescent Drug Testing Policies in Schools

“…Research assessing the relationship between drug testing and student attitudes toward drug use has also been inconclusive, with 2 studies finding that students who participated in drug testing programs were more likely to endorse positive attitudes toward future drug use, 7,8 although this finding was not replicated in other studies. [9][10][11] CHALLENGES IN IMPLEMENTING SCHOOL-BASED DRUG TESTING How Often Should Schools Perform Drug Testing?…”

Random student drug testing as a school‐based drug prevention strategy

“…In a survey of 9 th –11 th graders from two Florida high schools planning to implement aggressive RSDT programs, nearly three quarters (74.1%) of students believed that drug testing would be an effective deterrent against drug use(30). Almost half (45.4%) reported RSDT was a good idea, 29.1% disagreed, and 25.5% had no clear opinion.…”