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My reaction to this, surprisingly, isn't what you probably think.

The linked article outlines a Santa Barbara, California school's decision to randomly test every third or fourth student at a homecoming dance, and every student that appears to be drunk.

While at first glance this appears to be an infringement on the students' rights, a closer look indicates that it is not so. First of all, this is an extracurricular function. Attendance is voluntary, NOT mandatory. Unlike the classroom, all students at the dance are there by choice. Second, it has been announced in advance. If the police announce a roadblock, for instance, and you run into the road block, it's your own damn fault, not entrapment.

But an even larger point must be made in that, rightly or wrongly, many parents have entrusted these students' upbringing to the faculty and staff who are sponsoring, hosting, and will be overseeing the dance. Because of that trust, parents will likely hold the same faculty and staff responsible for any mishap, especially in an extremely litigious region such as this where it's easier to find a lawyer than it is to find a supermarket.

Drinking is a tradition among teenagers, true. But it is, at the moment, illegal for each and every one of the students who will be attending (well, maybe not EVERYONE, but I haven't seen a lot of school spirit among students who failed a grade 5 or 6 times), and it is the school's responsibility to care for the students while they are entrusted to them. So the ones who want to drink probably better take it elsewhere.