Ruling Stands Against Drug Testing All Students

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined without comment to hear an appeal of a ruling that bars a technical college from drug testing all students.

The court's action leaves standing a December ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, which found that the State Technical College of Missouri may not require all students to submit to drug testing prior to enrollment. The college, which was Linn State Technical College when the case started, has been through repeated court hearings, and the full appeals court found that there was no evidence of a widespread drug problem or a compelling reason to test all students. The ruling did not contest the right of the college to require drug testing for students in programs -- such as aviation maintenance -- that involve public safety and the use of complicated equipment.