Flute player gets to compete this weekend

Follow-up to yesterday’s post…

REDDING — Join the math club, take a drug test. That was the rule in the Shasta Union High School District until today, when a California Superior Court judge put a stop to the district’s policy of requiring students to consent to random drug testing in order to participate in school-sponsored activities like marching band and math club. The court granted a preliminary injunction, voiding the district’s drug testing program and allowing students who did not consent to testing to resume their co-curricular activities. The ruling is a promising victory for the three students and their families who took a stand against the district’s policy.

Good news, even though it’s just a first step.

For Brittany, today’s ruling marks an important personal victory. She is now free to play in the statewide competition this weekend on May 9. As a senior, this is her last chance to compete with her flute ensemble.
“Schools already have the authority to test or search any student if they have a reason to think they’ve been using drugs. But mandatory testing impedes students’ ability to participate in a number of student activities and intrudes on their privacy,” said ACLU-NC Staff Attorney Michael Risher. “Students should not be treated like suspects because they want to play in the school band.”

Exactly.