Vernonia School vs. Acton in the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court is the highest level in the court system and it has the most power. The Court’s main job is to protect people’s rights under The Constitution. The number justices fluctuates depending on the time and circumstances. As of 2018, the court consists of nine justices; one chief justice and eight associate justices. The justices are appointed for life, but that does not mean they cannot be removed from office or retire. The justices are required to keep a low profile.

Each year the Supreme Court convenes on the first Monday of October and continues into June or July. Here they talk about cases they are interested in and review the ones they decide to debate. One case they chose was Vernonia School District vs Acton which was about the fourth and fourteenth.

The Vernonia vs Acton case began in March of 1995 when Vernonia School District, in Oregon, adopted the Student Athlete Drug Policy. This policy allowed the district to perform random urinalyses on student athletes to make sure they were not using illegal drugs.

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They performed the urinalysis on student athletes because they were considered leaders of the school and it put them at a higher risk for a sports related injury. One student, James Acton, who was one the football team, refused to comply with the policy. His parents refused as well. Acton was then denied a spot on the school football team for not giving consent. Acton and his parents decided to make a case against the school district and it was brought to the Supreme Court.

Acton accused the district’s Student Athlete Drug Policy of violating the fourth amendment, which gives the, “right of the people to be secure in their persons […] against unreasonable searches and seizures” (US Constitution). The justices debated and agreed that it was considered a search and seizure, but the question was whether it was reasonable or not. The justices spent one month debating the case. In June they came to final decision of 6-3 for Vernonia School District. The judges came to the conclusion that during school hours the students are, “subject to greater control than over free adults” (Oyez). Student athletes expose themselves to less privacy than students who do not participate in sports. Teachers have the right to act in loco parentis, which means “in the place of a parent”. This relationship between students and teachers is what allows them to perform such searches and tests. In addition to loco parentis and student athlete vulnerability, all students subject themselves to other school authorized testing; such as scoliosis tests and vaccines. All of these reasons were used to support Vernonia School District.

Personally, I would agree with the Supreme Court for this case. The only argument Acton can use, for the fourth amendment, is that the urinalysis is a search, but as the school proved and the court agreed; the search is within reason. I think that all of the proof Vernonia School District provided and all the arguments the six judges made were valid and accurate. I know that personally, drug use amongst athletes, in general, but especially students is a horrible habit. They not only make injuries more likely, but some drugs can cause weakness, migraines, and serious side effects that could put the student and others at harm. The school should know if their student athletes are participating in such things so they can work to help the students. It is in the school’s right to perform tests on students, with consent, if it is for the student’s safety. It is also their right to remove students from their sport if they are using illicit drugs or refuse to comply with the school’s rules about testing for drug use.

Ultimately, this case and the court’s conclusion is important to our society today because it provides a safer environment for student athletes. The decision makes sure Vernonia School District’s athletes stay healthy, and good shape. In addition, most student athletes are leaders of the schools and are role models for other students, and if they are using drugs, it is more likely that other students following them will too. Finally, the drug testing makes sure the athleticism of each student is solely based on skill. Random drug testing prevents athletes from using drugs to enhance their performance and makes every game, and practice, more fair. The Supreme Court’s decision in the Vernonia School District vs Acton case lead to the conclusion that the Student Athlete Drug Policy does not violate the fourth amendment. If more schools were to implement such a policy, the drug use in high school students would most likely decrease, considering the majority of students play at least one high school sport throughout their high school career.