Do it for the kids...

This really sucks. One of the worst aspects of the war on some drugs is its relentless assault on young people's rights.

Students for Sensible Drug Policy is asking for your help to stop a bill that would further curtail the rights of students in public schools all across the country. The so-called “Student and Teacher Safety Act of 2006” (H.R. 5295) would make it easier for teachers and school administrators to search students’ lockers and bags for drugs and other contraband. SSDP needs your help to make sure that this bill never becomes law.

Currently, in order for a teacher to search a student’s locker they need to have “reasonable suspicion” that the student is in possession of illegal drugs. H.R. 5295 would change the standard needed for a search to “colorable suspicion,” a term that has been made up entirely for this bill. Essentially, a teacher would need nothing more than a hunch in order to search a student’s locker or possessions.

Colorable suspicion? Color me appalled. Since when do you have to be eighteen to enjoy the same civil rights as any other American? This is how the government is building the police state. Indoctrinate the youngsters into expecting to be wantonly violated and sell it to the parents as a "safety measure." This is just as much a violation of the Fourth Amendment as if they were of age.

If we let the government get away with this now, they'll be coming for us next. Hell, with the Patriot Act and the NSA and the umpteen other domestic surveillance programs, they already are coming after us all. Let's not let them codify this one. Please take a moment to click over to SSDP's pre-written letter and let your Congress creature know this is not acceptable.