LINN, Mo. - Officials at Linn State Technical College have not changed their drug screening policy despite complaints from three civil liberties groups.
The technical college implemented a mandatory drug screening for newly enrolled degree-seeking or certificate-seeking students this semester. Testing began a week ago today and is complete.
A total of 564 students were tested. Results have not yet been received by the college.
The Columbia-based Missouri Civil Liberties Association, the St. Louis-based American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri and Students for Sensible Drug Policy, based in Washington, D.C., have taken issue with the policy as a violation of Fourth Amendment privacy rights.
College officials say the policy is in accordance with previous U.S. Supreme Court rulings that require technical and dangerous vocations to screen for drug use.
As a technical college, Linn State's programs provide training for the use of heavy equipment, as well as technical roles in physical therapy and telecommunications, among others. Previous news reports have said Linn State has other, less dangerous programs such as accounting and communications, but that is inaccurate.