A school in the US has informally agreed to start administering breathalyzer tests on students suspected of drinking (link). Any student who blows over .02 would be suspended for 5 days.

What do you think about this? Is it a good way to curb drinking in teens, or is the school/government going too far?

That's going too far. Breathalyzer tests administered by police are designed to save lives, this is schools trying to promote social reform. What someone does outside of school should really be not be the school's business.

I think it's a good idea, albeit a little extreme.

The drinking age is 21 in the US so obviously most people who appear drunk are probably drunk illegaly. If they're drinking on campus, yea, I do think there should be repercussions. It's private property technically, right? (I think).

Is it against the rules to be drunk on campus if you aren't underage? That seems a little stupid when most universities have on campus bars.

Either way, its a stupid idea.

oh interesting.. but do a lot of kids really come to school drunk? I dunno, that never happened in my high school, (a lot of people come to school stoned though.)

Originally Posted by A.Marlowe

Is it against the rules to be drunk on campus if you aren't underage? That seems a little stupid when most universities have on campus bars.

Either way, its a stupid idea.

The video and this policy is in regards to Highschools.

I think, if there's a big enough drinking problem at a highschool that this is needed, then the school should go for it, but I don't support it being a blanket policy for all highschools.

Oh, missed that part, lol.

I still think its a bad idea, if the student is drunk enough to be a problem, they are probably drunk enough that a breathalyzer would only confirm the obvious. If a kids had a few drinks but it isn't causing him to act like a huge drunk, I don't see a problem. I'm sure there is a bit of drinking in every high school, but it doesn't cause a problem most of the time.

Oh, I thought it was for universities. O_O

I think it's a good idea in theory. Being drunk in school should definitely have consequences.

But I mean... If a kid is drunk at school, then he probably doesn't care much for it anyways... don't really see what a suspension would accomplish. =P

Originally Posted by Taunton

A school in the US has informally agreed to start administering breathalyzer tests on students suspected of drinking (link). Any student who blows over .02 would be suspended for 5 days.

What do you think about this? Is it a good way to curb drinking in teens, or is the school/government going too far?

I think it's a great idea. It will definitely make students think twice about coming to school drunk.

Originally Posted by A.Marlowe

I still think its a bad idea, if the student is drunk enough to be a problem, they are probably drunk enough that a breathalyzer would only confirm the obvious. If a kids had a few drinks but it isn't causing him to act like a huge drunk, I don't see a problem. I'm sure there is a bit of drinking in every high school, but it doesn't cause a problem most of the time.

I think I'd have to agree with you Andrew. A blood alcohol level of 0.02 would not actually have any noticable affect on most people (think about it... you can drive without consequence if you blow 0.02). And as such, these students would not actually act out in class due to the alcohol, it would be themselves acting out, essentially not under the influence.

Since a blood alcohol level of .02 would not be noticable in terms of behaviour, this policy would assume that any student who blows at this level will continue to drink either at school, or away from school and continue to attend classes. (Since removing the student on the grounds of being intoxicated would assume a higher blood alcohol level). This is a pretty big assumption, since it's feasible that a student could go home for lunch, have a glass of wine (it's certainly possible, depending on their culture) and then go back to school and blow at or over 0.02.

Also, I'd like to note that for most Amercian states, private consumption of alcohol by minors is not illegal, it's the purchase of alcohol that is illegal. Almost all states allow the consumption of alcohol by minors if approved/given directly by certain family members.

Only Idaho, Utah, Arizona, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, Indiana, Tennessee, Alabama, Vermont, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and the District of Columbia ban consumption outright. In every other state, it is legal for minors to consume alcohol at least under some circumstances.

Since this school is in Massachusetts, it's not illegal for minors to consume alcohol.

On the arguments presented above, I disagree with the policy. It would be more appropriate for there to be a requirement that the student in question at least appear drunk, or more objectively, blow at a higher level (like 0.05 or 0.08).

I agree with rrtt. If this was universities, it would be a little different, especially getting into the whole legal/of age thing. But this is high school, so they should definitely have the right to do that. No high school student should be showing up to school drunk/after drinking, that's for sure.

But if they're drunk enough that you can tell they've been drinking, then a breathalyzer is irrelevant.

If they aren't drunk enough for people to notice, then there is no problem.

Originally Posted by A.Marlowe

But if they're drunk enough that you can tell they've been drinking, then a breathalyzer is irrelevant.

If they aren't drunk enough for people to notice, then there is no problem.

But if someone is suspended because they're acting like they have been drinking, they could come back at the school and say they have no "proof" and that they shouldn't have been suspended. I'm guessing the breathalyzer is just to prove that the student is actually drunk.

I somehow can't see any one taking the "I was only pretending to be drunk, and didn't stop even after they told me I was being suspended" excuse seriously. If some one actually tried to make a fuss out of it, I'm sure the school could turn it from a "suspension for intoxication on school grounds" into "suspension for extreme disruptive behaviour" or something along those lines.