Drug Testing: ACLU Will Sue to Block Hawaii Teacher Testing..

[SidDithers]

http://www.acluhawaii.org/news.php?id=277&PHPSESSID=7483ce8224f67fc555773bec7fa08753
http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2007/sep/21/drug_testing_aclu_will_sue_block

In a press release last Friday, the ACLU of Hawaii announced it is preparing to challenge an Aloha State plan to randomly test teachers, librarians, and other public school system employees. The policy, the first in the nation to randomly drug test teachers, was agreed to by a bargaining unit of the Hawaii State Teachers Association (HSTA) during the 2006-2007 school year.

Some Hawaii public officials seized on the drug-related arrests of six teachers in the run-up to the contract negotiations to demand that teachers be drug tested. With the HSTA bargaining unit deep in hard-fought negotiations to secure better wages, educators were faced with a deeply troubling offer: accept random drug testing in exchange for wage increases. After heated discussion within the bargaining unit, a slight majority okayed the deal.

But that didn't sit well with some school teachers, who complained that the union was strong-armed by the state. HSTA head Joan Husted told the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, "There are teachers who believe they were blackmailed," she said, "but we also heard from teachers who believe they have an obligation to ensure their schools are drug-free."

<snip>

"The Constitution does not allow us to put a price tag on our right to privacy, and we look forward to representing Hawaii educators who are willing to stand up for their constitutional rights, " said Lois Perrin, legal director of the ACLU of Hawaii. "Our education system is failing students by resorting to dragnet searches that do little to protect anyone while violating the rights of everyone."

Oh look. The ACLU defending the civil rights of teachers.

Sid

[KamaAina]

1. Repuke Gov. Lingle shoved this down the teachers' throats

Now that the grownups are back in charge, I don't see why they don't just drop the whole thing.

Some Hawaii public officials seized on the drug-related arrests of six teachers in the run-up to the contract negotiations to demand that teachers be drug tested.

Most, if not all, were for pot. Might as well fire teachers for jaywalking. :eyes:

[MadHound]

2. I'm betting that you can expect this to spread to other states,

Teachers, both in K-12 and in college, are one of the last great un-tested swathes of Americans. Can't have that, and they won't be satisfied until every single worker in every single job has to pee in a cup.

[SidDithers]

3. I'm surprised the Hawaii State Teachers Association agreed to it ...

as part of their collective bargaining.

Civil rights of teachers take higher priority than the agreement between the teachers and the board.

Sid

[speltwon]

4. I am against random testing - of teachers, cops, firefighters, etc.

Imo, the standard in my state - "reasonable suspicion" is the proper standard.