The Ministry of Education seeks parental consent for drug testing

The issue of students consuming prohibited substances is an extremely serious and current problem that requires a swift resolution. Authorities, teachers, and parents must collaborate closely to prevent the spread of substance use among more and more students. Minister of Education, Ligia Deca, stated regarding drug testing for students that a system will be "designed" in such a way that when there are reasonable suspicions, testing can only be carried out with parental consent, ensuring confidentiality, non-discrimination, and avoiding stigmatization: "Regarding the prevention of drug use among young people today, we have signed a joint action plan for school safety, which includes the initiative to develop a legislative framework for this testing. The Ministry of Internal Affairs, together with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, and other entities with responsibilities in this area, will devise a system to ensure and reimburse possible tests only with parental consent, while ensuring confidentiality, non-discrimination, and, of course, avoiding stigmatization. We must view every child with a dependency problem as a child in need of our help. Addictions are illnesses, and as such, they should be treated, and full support should be provided so that an incident of this nature does not mean limiting a young person's future."

The national framework plan for school safety was signed by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Cătălin Predoiu, the Minister of Education, Ligia Deca, the Minister of Development, Public Works, and Administration, Adrian-Ioan Veştea, the Minister of Family, Youth, and Equal Opportunities, Natalia-Elena Intotero, the Minister of Labor and Social Solidarity, Simona Bucura-Oprescu, the Minister of Culture, Raluca Turcan, the Minister of Health, Alexandru Rafila, and Livia Arnăutu, a representative of the Department for Romanians Everywhere.

Previously, the Minister of Health, Alexandru Rafila, stated that he would not support mass drug testing of students but would support testing for the purpose of detecting cases of psychoactive substance use: "Regarding testing children in schools, I believe there are several essential messages that need to be conveyed: we will not support mass testing; we will support testing for the detection of cases of psychoactive substance use, and we will work only in collaboration with parents. This will be done without discrimination or stigmatization of children. The safety and harmonious development of children have other components besides drug consumption. The physical safety of children is very important, and the involvement of local authorities and colleagues from the Ministry of Internal Affairs is essential." According to Minister Rafila, the safety and health of children and adolescents are essential for the development of communities.