Violation of Civil Liberties

• Some opponents of random drug testing contend such tests violate the idea that each individual is innocent until proved guilty. Random drug tests, they argue, assume that one has already engaged in illegal drug use -- with no need for proper evidence. This argument also dovetails with the idea that random drug testing is a violation of one's privacy, since students would be subject to an invasive procedure used to identify drug use. Random drug testing may also conflict with liberal state and local policies regarding low-level drug use if the student is 18 or older.
  
  

Ineffective Methods

• Opponents have argued that random drug testing does not detour students from taking drugs and is merely a symbolic action. A 2003 study conducted by the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan suggests that some students may avoid school activities that require drug testing or may turn to other forms of intoxication, like alcohol use. Thus, whether random drug testing prevents students from taking drugs or not is debatable. Furthermore, opponents argue that other methods like drug education are effective in preventing drug use, as opposed to invasive drug tests.
  
  

Waste of Funding

• Performing drug tests on students is not free to schools, many of whom face severe budget cuts. Opponents argue that drug testing takes away funding from other educational resources that are of a higher priority than drug testing. Such funds could be used to maintain extracurricular activities, for instance, that may detour students from using drugs in the first place. Opponents of drug testing contend that the practice is only successful in catching a small percentage of drug users out of the total number of students tested. Thus, the costs do not justify the outcomes.
  
  

Creating Tension Between Faculty and Students

• Opponents note that drug testing may breed tension between students and faculty, as the practice creates a notion of mistrust in the school environment. Students who may be inclined to use drugs may not seek out the guidance of faculty. These students may think that teachers view them as criminals or immoral individuals. Lastly, opponents maintain that creating an adverse relationship between students and faculty may cause students to further resist authority figures.