War on drugs essay

45 minute practice essay

Prompt:
As part of the “war on drugs” and in reaction to an increase in
school violence, many schools across the nation now conduct
targeted searches of student lockers and backpacks. Although the
Supreme Court has ruled that public school officials have the right
to search students’ persons and property when they have
reasonable cause to suspect weapons or drugs, many people feel
this is a gross violation of students’ right to privacy. Others feel
that since school officials are responsible for the well-being of
students while they are in the building, they have the right to
search for drugs or weapons at any time. How do you feel about
this issue? State your position and explain your reasons with
specific examples.

Essay:
The rise of school violence is a serious and scary issue. However, this essay will only observe the topic of student locker and backpack searches.

Statistically, there is a worrying rise in school violence. This gives credence to the position that these searches are a necessity. Furthermore, the ruling of the Supreme Court seems to be in favour of this tactic. If the presence of drugs is increasing in our schools, then surely something must be done about it.

On the other hand, the right to privacy is a fundamental aspect of our society and should not be discarded flippantly. One big stain on the record of this search policy is the fact that the presence of violence and drugs in out schools has actually increased while this policy was in place.

Perhaps the problem is too much for the school officials to handle. Teachers and principals are certainly not trained to fight crime. Therefore, if school officials truly have reasonable cause to suspect criminal activity, maybe the police should be getting involved.

In conclusion, while these searches might be necessary in the war on drugs, it might not be the role of school officials to perform the searches.