Random Drug Testing on Public and Private Secondary Schools - Position Paper

DO 40, s. 2017 - Guidelines for the Conduct of Random Drug Testing in Public and Private Secondary Schools

|    POSITION PAPER   |

TOPIC: Random drug testing in public and private secondary schools.

DATE: 7th of September 2017

SCHOOL: Science and Technology Education Center (STEC)

           

Drug-related cases have been increasing tremendously over the course of time, spreading rapidly from person to person. With the escalation of drug-related cases being apparent, it is no exception that any individual is vulnerable into the risks of drugs, especially the individuals who are subject to social and mental pressures, the high schoolers. Drug-related cases are serious matters in a society and must be dealt carefully, since it can disrupt a society’s law and order. One example of a country that took drug matters seriously is the country, the Philippines, which is led by an anti-narcotic president, Rodrigo Roa Duterte. Ever since Duterte ran for presidency, he wanted immediate change, especially the issue on drugs and the politics clinging into it. This won the heart of the Filipinos and became the country’s current president. Since then, praises and criticisms were accounted by the president for being active and a man of his words, but at the same time unethical and brutal for his methods. By then, the country established drugs as public enemy number one, drug raids and police operations surged in rates. Lot of programs and orders relating to drugs, relating or not relating to Duterte, were also established during his reigning war against drugs, which includes the Oplan Tokhang, Oplan Double Barrel, and the paper’s focus, the guidelines for the conduct of random drug testing in public and private secondary schools. Some teenagers view this as a threat, but some see it as mandatory, and here in Science and Technology Education Center, it is a mandatory to be implemented. Random drug testing is crucial for the school and its community inside.

Implementing random drug testing has benefits that can contribute to the school, to the community, and to everyone as well, the benefits are: intense focus and care from the person who really need community’s help, increased parental guidance and care, increased communal awareness, and especially, future long-term school and community peace and order.

GUIDANCE AND CARE FROM COMMUNITY. The implementation of random drug testing can actually cater guidance and care from the person who really need everyone’s help, the positives needs our help for them to get back on track. According to CNN, if a student is found to be a drug user, instead of condemning them, they will be referred by the school to the Department of Social Welfare and Development or to a social worker for advising, counseling, and an intervention. The DepEd also stated the student “shall undergo the prescribed intervention program under the supervision of the DOH-accredited facility or physician, or private practitioners, in coordination with the parent.”  The results of the random drug testing will not be a basis for one’s expulsion or any disciplinary action against the student. It also does not affect or reflect the student’s academic performance.

INCREASE OF PARENTAL GUIDANCE. The implementation of random drug testing can increase the parents’ supervision of their child. The parents will guide their children all throughout their recovery. Parental guidance is actually a part of the order’s efforts in guiding the drug-tested positives. According to the guiding principles in the conduct of random drug testing in public and private secondary school on the online document of the DepEd order, it states that “Parental involvement shall be maximized in the implementation of drug education, random drug testing, treatment and rehabilitation of drug users and dependents”. One can conclude that due to the parents worried for their child for being a drug-tested positive, the parent will now exert more effort in being aware on what their child is up to. DepEd also stated that once parents refuse to act on the situation with their child, no choice but they will implement compulsory confinement of the tested positive student as granted by the law.

COMMUNAL AWARENESS. The implementation of random drug testing can give out community awareness, and this is a good occurrence, since the community is informed about the order. Not only that the community gain awareness, students, families, or others as well. According once again to the guiding principles in the conduct of random drug testing in public and private secondary school, “Random drug testing for students is considered by the government as entirely a 'health' issue and aims to provide appropriate interventions to those who will be tested positive for dangerous drug use, which will help the student stop further use and/or abuse of the substance”

LONG-TERM PEACE AND ORDER. Once the implementation of the random drug testing have come in the long-run, it is highly possible that peace and order will dominate. Even though it sounds unrealistic, at least the society was able to obliterate or lessen drug usage rates.

DepEd no. 40, s. 2017, Guidelines for the Conduct of Random Drug Testing in Public and Private Secondary Schools has its goals and purpose that are really beneficial, not only for the students, but to everyone as well. The order has benefits on implementing it, which includes the guidance and care from the community are funneled from persons who really need it, increase of parental guidance, the issue awareness of the community, and lastly, long-term peace and order. Therefore, STEC has concluded that it is for the betterment to conduct a random drug testing on the junior high school and senior high students of the campus.