COLUMN: Academic doping
In a society that places brains before brawn, it's an interesting predicament in which we hold our athletes to a higher standard of honesty than our students.
Any athlete given a scholarship to a university these days is given fewer restrictions and testing than those on the side of academics. To be noted, while the athletics side is much more lax in regards to grades, which is the point I'd like to focus on, the academics side chooses to turn a blind eye to drug testing.
When did it get to a point where we subject our student-athletes to persecution based upon their recreational drug use, but turn a blind eye to student here on an academic scholarship.
In a town where complaining about the lack of ability to focus, along with a few dollars to a "doctor," can get students a month prescription to medicinal speed (Ridalin, Vivance, etc.), and give them just the edge they need to maintain that spotless GPA for the school, we choose to target the student athletes.
Perhaps I'm sore because I have a moderate case of ADD that requires medication, but I chose to handle without. Or perhaps it's the fact that, time and time again, I see stories come across my desk of student athletes being shamed and targeted for their drug use, but nothing to speak of when it comes to these "hard-working" academic students.
I'm well aware that this isn't everyone of that standing, and to those who do without I salute you. I'm also well aware that this relates to people outside of that standing as well, including some student athletes.
What I'm suggesting is that while we subject our student-athletes to random drug testing for banned substances that give them an edge, we should do the same to those of academic standing to rule out those here on a crutch from those here on effort.
If anything, I find it amusing, while others use these drugs as a crutch, the rest of us are fighting to keep up, and sooner or later that supply will run out.
And then where will those who relied on false appearances be?
