Woodbridge Schools May Start Random Drug, Alcohol Testing

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — The Woodbridge school district is the latest school district in New Jersey to consider implementing mandatory drug and alcohol testing on its students.

Under the proposal, students who want to participate in sports, clubs, and any other after-school activities would have to have their parents sign a "Consent to Test" form, which means they can be randomly tested for drugs and alcohol at any time. Even seniors at the high school who want to request a parking permit would have to consent to random drug testing.

If students refuse, they cannot take part in sports or after-school activities, or park their cars. The testing is usually done in the form of a urine sample to detect drugs, and a saliva swab to detect alcohol.

"The policy applies only to students who participate in sports, extracurricular activities, and school parking," Woodbridge schools superintendent Dr. Robert Zega told Patch. "The consent form is part of the participation agreement, so if the students refuse, they will not be allowed to participate. The penalties for positive tests (under the proposed policy) are temporary suspension from the activity and mandatory counseling — not suspension from school and/or removing the student from the activity. The focus is on counseling and prevention, not suspension from school."

The policy is still being considered by the Woodbridge Board of Education, but it was vigorously defended by Dr. Zega.

"The statistics on drug abuse, especially prescription drug abuse and opioid abuse, is staggering. Drug abuse in New Jersey, Middlesex County, and right here in Woodbridge is increasing drastically," said the superintendent. "We have many programs to help educate our students to help them make good choices, but the statistics are concerning. As educators, we believe we need to do more than what we’re doing now to help our children."

But not everyone thinks the random testing is OK. The New Jersey division of the ACLU has said they are firmly against drug and alcohol testing in high schools.

"Legally, they can do it. There's no case law that says it violates our constitutional rights," said Randolph Wolf, a Red Bank-based criminal defense attorney who has written about the increasing use of random drug testing in New Jersey schools. "But my personal opinion is it's ridiculous. I don't like the invasion of privacy."

"It's one thing if you're convicted of a crime. Then you have to submit to random drug testing as a condition of not going to jail. But that's for criminals," he continued. "Are our kids criminals? Are we going to start treating them like criminals when they have broken no laws?"

Dr. Zega argued that the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) already mandates random drug testing for student athletes.

But the NJSIAA tests only for steroids in student-athletes, its executive director clarified.

"We only do random steroid and supplement testing and even then it's only for schools that make state tournaments," said Larry White, the executive director of the NJSIAA. "It's a big difference than what I understand Woodbridge is trying to do."

About 30 other school districts in New Jersey already mandate random drug and alcohol testing for students, including Edison, Brick, Middletown and Basking Ridge. Other school boards have chosen not to, including Livingston, where superintendent Chris Steffner tabled the idea last year after an immense public outcry.

"Drug use is a problem that parents should deal with, and deal with at home," said Wolf, who is the father of three teenage girls in New Jersey public schools. "I don't like it when the school board thinks they can do something like this. Why don't they volunteer to pee in a cup as a condition of their being on the board?"

If the Woodbridge Board of Ed. approves it, the policy would go into effect next year. The policy will be discussed at the next Woodbridge Twp. Board of Education meeting on June 14.

The Woodbridge Township Board of Education is pictured above and a link to all Board members: https://www.woodbridge.k12.nj....

Photos taken from the Woodbridge Twp. schools website.