University of Nebraska Kearney - Blue and Gold Yearbook (Kearney, NE)

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Drug testing continued Public health and safety concerns may conflict with individuals’ fundamental rights to privacy. Problem number one is funding. Problem number two concerns the individuals’ right to privacy. Both problems arise when the topic of drug testing comes about. But what has many on opposite sides is problem number two — the individuals’ right to privacy. According to Hal Blostein, law- yer and KSC political science professor, Hal Blostein this marks the beginning of a very com- plex issue. “We are in an era of legal explora- tion,” Blostein said. “There are so many twilight zone areas that the courts are going to have to deal with. We are going to be wrestling with factors that we haven’t dealt with before.” Blostein said no one is going to be able to give you a yes or a no answer right now, it is going to depend on cer- tain circumstances. What are the circumstances? When the right to privacy act is brought up in protecting the individual’s rights, we are getting into a number of areas which include two constitutional factors, Blostein said. One is the Fourth Amendment which essentially protects the individual from unreasonable search and seizure. Other factors are the due process of law right, which concerns the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments; the fifth pertains to the federal government and the fourteenth to the state governments prohibiting or depriving one’s life and lib- erty, he explained. Blostein said in a complicated Dem- ocratic society, the chief concern is with one fundamental right — the right to pri- vacy — but the government is also re- sponsible for the public’s health and safety. Giving an example in which the gov- ernment would have the right to stand behind drug testing would be jobs con- cerning the public’s health and safety such as an air traffic controller. Many corporations and athletic as- sociations are taking steps for their own health and safety. Included among ath- letic associations are the NCAA and the NAIA, of which KSC is a member. The big question: will one’s right to privacy be violated with such testing? “There are a lot of unanswered questions,” Blostein said. “In a state supported college like Kearney, partici- pating in athletics is a privilege.” If it (drugs) effects his or her con- duct or even performance during a KSC event, they have a right to drop the ath- lete from the program.” But Blostein said to drop a team member from a squad on the basis of ev- idence in a drug test without regard to his or her performance is getting pretty personal. “Why is it (drug testing) arbitrarily connected to the category of jocks,” Blostein said. “Probably because the athlete is one of these categories which kids idolize.” “Most of us want to reduce the use of drugs,” he said. “We are concerned with better education to persuade peo- ple to refrain from drugs ... but we also cherish certain fundamental rights of the individual.” So overall, does drug testing violate a person’s right to privacy? “Putting aside the legal technicali- ties, it is such an intriguing question that has raised so many implications,” Blo- stein said. “I sure would hesitate to make a drug policy without doing a lot of thinking. “We are not going to come up with a simple, universal answer,” he said. “We are going to have a lot of challenges as the drug testing proceeds in our soci- ety.” Past NAIA tests net scant results Four years ago, the NAIA conducted random drug testing at its men’s bas- ketball, outdoor track and wrestling tournaments. None of the 52 basket- ball players tested had any positive results. Four of the 48 wrestlers tested positive for a substance found in an over- the-counter weight reducing pill. Three out of 56 track athletes tested positive for the weight reduction substance and one tested positive for steroids.

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s PORTS Students get early coaching experiences by Angie Steffen What could be better than a pre- view or experience into your future? The student coaching program offers these benefits and more. The KSC Student Coaching Pro- gram is at least 19 years old. This year there were only about five or six stu- dents involved. Dr. Don Lackey, chair- man of physical education department, Dr. Don Lackey, director of the student coaching program at KSC has been in charge of the program. The program at KSC is not a required pro- gram but it can be taken for college cred- it. Lackey commented on the reason why the program was started. Basically, we felt there was a need for students to get practical experience be- fore they go out on their own. We felt this also would be an advantage for them in getting jobs. Some area schools pay them so this can be an opportunity for the student to make some money.” Generally, students involved in the Student coaching program are placed in assistant coaching jobs within the state. The reason for this is most students are enrolled in classes at KSC. They need to have assignments within driving dis- tance. Usually, the head coaches of sur- rounding schools request students for open positions. There are times, howev- er, when students put in requests for po- sitions, then coaches are contacted in an effort to find an opening for them. “Because coaches have been hap- py with what they got out of the program in the past, many times they will contact us,” Lackey said. According to Lackey, this year a few requests from coaches had to be turned down because no one was available to fit the job specifications. Students placed by the program must have a good background in sports and be in good standing as far as grades and class at- tendance. Students are screened by Lackey and potential employers to elimi- nate anyone who is not sincere before being placed in a job. One of the most positive aspects of the program is that the student gains experience in his chosen field,” Lackey said. It also gives him a good reference for resumes.” Lackey believes that just as the pro- gram helps the student, it also assists the school. With the latest cuts in bud- gets, schools can’t always afford to hire all the teachers they need to keep pro- grams available to students. Lackey said the biggest adjust- ments for most of the students partici- pating in the program were learning how to communicate with young people and being viewed as a coach, not a student. The program has recently received more demand for student coaches than Lackey can fill. According to Lackey, more publicity is needed to let kids know that such an opportunity as this exists and to encourage them to take advan- tage of the benefits. 30