Drug testing in high schools is usually for athletes, last chance schools or private schools. It's part of the condition of being accepted into the programs. Some public schools probably use the deal as a kind of probation. You get caught smoking weed but you're a GOOD kid, instead of expelling you they say you need to do a weekly drug test. You shape up, they sweep it under the rug.

I have 2 sons in high school in Texas and the UIL who govern all extra curricular activities requires the school to have random drug screening done. If you don't want to be screened don't participate in extra curricular activities. The parents have to sign consent forms for them to do it.

Yes since 1 in 4 people who take drugs before 18 will get addicted, not get the help they need early enough, and ruin their lives

Well we don't know if the little pissant OP tested was an athlete, got busted earlier, or is in a school with high amounts of drug use. It's probably like how some schools have metal detectors.

A lot of high schools only do this for sports. That way they know no one can be accusing of cheating. Some people are so desperate for scholarships in sports, they will try anything to do as best as humanly possible. Which ruins someone else's chances. How is making sure that doesn't happen, infringing their freedoms? It's illegal to do any drugs or even smoke unless you're 18 so how is this even a debate?! If it didn't happen they wouldn't have to.

If you think drug testing at schools is an apt comparison to a police state, you're really going to have a bad time once you actually get in a real police state...

Our "Freedom(s)" are slowly but surely being taken away one by one...sad...

I see your point #32, and were they testing only for fitness enhancing drugs, I would understand that. However they also test for PCP, marijuana and opioids which are not usually used to boost your performance seeing that they can produce loss of coordination, mental confusion, breathing difficulties, etc. Stealing is illegal too. Would it be ok to randomly search people's bags to see if they have any stolen items in them? I’m French and we don’t do drug testing in my country. I just find this policy pretty controlling and a paradox considering how attached Americans are to their civil liberties.

I've read over the years that they can't test normal students randomly. But they can test as a condition of an extracurricular activity. So sports, band, AV club, Young Republicans, etc.

#65 In America, to partocipate in a school sport, they HAVE to agree to a form saying that that they agree to random drug tests for any drug. It's a policy, but is only for those who've signed a form agreeing to it.

"Performance enhancing" can mean a lot of things. Smoking a bowl to relax you before a run on a snowboard/ski hill can enhance your performance.

You seriously think a little drug testing is control? Things could be much, much worse...

"A little drug testing" seems like a pretty big deal to me, I would not want any kid I know to be in a school like that. But I understand from the comments that this is relatively common in some countries, so I guess this is a cultural difference, I've genuinely never heard of drug testing happening in schools where I'm from (or at work, for that matter, another thing that apparently happens in the US!) While it's perfectly understandable to me that coming to school high is not acceptable, and dealing drugs at school should be sanctioned, I don't see why it would be a school's business to control what kids do in their free time.