ACLU opposes school district's random searches

ATHENS - Georgia&#39;s American Civil Liberties Union is fighting the Clarke County School District&#39;s plans to implement random drug searches and drug testing at the county&#39;s two high schools. <br> <br> ACLU legal director Gerry Weber said at a meeting Monday that schools are not prisons and teachers are not police officers. <br> <br> ``You cannot start saying that students do not have as many rights when they&#39;re in school,&#39;&#39; Weber said. <br> <br> Clarke Schools Superintendent said he planned to start the random searches using drug-sniffing dogs soon after the semester started in January. But no further planning on the matter has taken place, according to school officials. <br> <br> ``We can&#39;t move forward until there&#39;s a decision from the board about whether they want it,&#39;&#39; deputy superintendent Ernest Hardaway said. <br> <br> The superintendent does not need approval for the drug searches because they will not require a change in policy or extra funding, school officials said. <br> <br> However, the board needs to approve the policy on random drug testing, a measure targeted for this fall with costs around $30,000 per year. The board has discussed random drug testing for athletes and students who park on campus. <br> <br> State and federal courts have routinely upheld drug testing for athletes because exercising while on drugs is risky. Testing for those who drive to school is not common.