Texas to reconsider $6M steriod testing in schools

[Agnapostate]

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AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — By the tens of thousands, Texas student-athletes have been pulled out of class to urinate in a cup for the nation's largest high school steroids testing program.

Boys and girls in all sports, from football to tennis to cross country, have been randomly selected.

The results so far have found little to confirm fears that steroid use is a rampant problem. When the first 10,000 tests found only four positive results, critics declared the two-year program a waste of time and money.

Now state lawmakers must decide whether to keep the $6 million program chugging along, scale it down or eliminate it. The 2009 legislative session starts Tuesday.

The Texas legislator who sponsored the testing bill in 2007 calls it an "incredible success."

The point of testing was to act as a deterrent against steroid use, not catch teens using drugs, said Rep. Dan Flynn, a Republican.

"We don't have a bunch of pelts hanging on the wall," Flynn said. "The success is that we haven't had a lot of positive tests."

Momentum for tests started building in 2005. Headlines of steroid use by professional athletes fueled concerns it had trickled down to high schools. Two years later, Republican Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst made a testing program one of his top priorities.

By the end of the current school year in June, officials expect between 40,000-50,000 public school students from all sports to be tested.

Critics rolled their eyes when the first results were released.

Continued at source...

Idiots will never admit their mistakes. Deeply held ideological convictions prevent individuals of this variety from admitting error no matter the level of empirical evidence that shatters their illusions. That's not something that we didn't already know, but it remains saddening to see it occur on a daily basis.

Moreover, there might be some constitutional concerns with the random testing of student athletes that have been overlooked by the judicial system in the past.

 

[michiganFats]

At least they're considering scaling the program down. Back in my day steroid testing was based on common sense. When the football team went in for their summer physicals, and 1 or 2 guys gained 50 pounds of muscle and a lot of acne in one year, guess who got tested for steroids? It's a shame Dewhurst and Flynn are advocating the wasting of taxpayer money in a futile attempt to be relevant.

 

[love007435]

potiskanje, tako lepo temo dobro delovno mesto

 

[Gunny]

Welcome to Charter.net - News





Idiots will never admit their mistakes. Deeply held ideological convictions prevent individuals of this variety from admitting error no matter the level of empirical evidence that shatters their illusions. That's not something that we didn't already know, but it remains saddening to see it occur on a daily basis.

Moreover, there might be some constitutional concerns with the random testing of student athletes that have been overlooked by the judicial system in the past.

What are you babbling about now?

There is no Constitutional issue with RANDOM testing. That one's been tried and failed in court.

If you honestly believe high school athletes in Texas don't take steroids, I got some West Texas swampland for sale. High school athletics, especially football, is EVERYTHING here, beyond reason.

It isn't that there's an error, dimwit ... it's that it isn't worth the cost.

Try educating yourself before opening your trap, huh?

 

[editec]

What are you babbling about now?

There is no Constitutional issue with RANDOM testing. That one's been tried and failed in court.

If you honestly believe high school athletes in Texas don't take steroids, I got some West Texas swampland for sale. High school athletics, especially football, is EVERYTHING here, beyond reason.

I don't know what it's like now, but back in my day, TEXAS was the ONLY STATE that Pennsylvania thought worthy of having as an adversary for our ALL STAR football team.

So if Texans are even half as crazy about football as Keystoners were in my day, I'd say that testing for steriods is probably not such a bad idea, nowadays.

They ought to test the freaking fans, too, in my never humble opinion.

They must be high on something.

 

[Agnapostate]

What are you babbling about now?

There is no Constitutional issue with RANDOM testing. That one's been tried and failed in court.

If you honestly believe high school athletes in Texas don't take steroids, I got some West Texas swampland for sale. High school athletics, especially football, is EVERYTHING here, beyond reason.

It isn't that there's an error, dimwit ... it's that it isn't worth the cost.

Try educating yourself before opening your trap, huh?

I don't recall saying that Texans don't take steroids. I know nothing about Texans' steroid use, though I just got a good indication as to their education in other areas.

Clearly, you need to familiarize yourself with New Jersey v. T.L.O. to a greater degree. I'm familiar with the justification given for random testing of athletes, and I've identified a major flaw in it.

 

[KittenKoder]

Football (American) = Gay

 

[Terry]

Having lived in Texas and a son who played football (team mate of his was Randy Rhodes) I never saw one coach who pushed this on any kid. My son never took any nor did he know anyone who did. (1999)

High School football in Texas is HUGE!! I mean HUGE!! They live and breathe HS Football. Friday nights everyone in towns go to the local games!

Drug testing by the school? No, if a school suspects a child is using steroids they should speak to the parent about it and inform them of the dangers. Let the parent take the matter into their own hand. They can also call the cops to investigate the matter, but drug testing a kid in school I’m not for it.

If a kid dies from steroid use...oh fucking well, our country cannot save everyone from their own bad choices!

 

[KittenKoder]

Having lived in Texas and a son who played football (team mate of his was Randy Rhodes) I never saw one coach who pushed this on any kid. My son never took any nor did he know anyone who did. (1999)

High School football in Texas is HUGE!! I mean HUGE!! They live and breathe HS Football. Friday nights everyone in towns go to the local games!

Drug testing by the school? No, if a school suspects a child is using steroids they should speak to the parent about it and inform them of the dangers. Let the parent take the matter into their own hand. They can also call the cops to investigate the matter, but drug testing a kid in school I’m not for it.

If a kid dies from steroid use...oh fucking well, our country cannot save everyone from their own bad choices!

Death from steroids is the least, but yeah, if they want to become impotent (and sometimes gaining erectile dysfunction) oh well, let them. At least they won't be reproducing to have more morons stupid enough to try it.

 

[Terry]

Yeah it seems this country is all about trying to help morons from themselves.

 

[editec]

Yeah it seems this country is all about trying to help morons from themselves.

Violence behavior from kids on steriods is a well documented problem.

Making sure that kids don't feel they have to take steriods (just to keep up with those who do) is a good thing.