Pubdate: Fri, 21 Dec 2001 Source: Athens Banner-Herald (GA) Copyright: 2001 Athens Newspapers Inc Contact: http://www.onlineathens.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1535 Author: Kate Carter Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) SCHOOL DISTRICT READY TO MOVE AGAINST DRUGS Dog Searches, Testing In Works For Clarke's Two High Schools The Clarke County School District is moving to implement both random searches by drug dogs, and random drug testing for some students at district high schools in the new year. "I feel very positive about it because to say drugs are not at Cedar Shoals High School is not the truth," said Principal Charles Worthy, who noted that faculty and parents have not expressed many concerns about the searches and testing thus far. The first measure implemented will be random drug dog searches, which Clarke Schools Superintendent Lewis Holloway said will likely begin soon after school resumes in January. Because drug dog searches are an enforcement mechanism and do not require a school district policy change, the school board does not have a vote on the measure. Holloway said he has drafted letters to parents notifying them of the searches, and will send them out around the start of the new year. Parents, teachers and students will not know, however, exactly when the drug dogs will be used. According to Frank Platt, the school district security director, random drug dog searches have been successful in preventing students from bringing drugs to high school campuses in other Georgia school systems. Platt also said that the searches should not cost the school district anything. School district officials have been communicating with the Athens-Clarke County Police Department and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency about volunteering drug dogs and police officers for the task. School district officials are currently discussing whether the dogs will search only parking lots and lockers, or whether they will also search backpacks in classrooms after students are asked to leave. According to Holloway, drug dogs used for searches are passive and would not come into contact with students, and class interruptions would not last longer than three minutes. Worthy and Clarke Central High School Principal Maxine Easom, along with their respective school security personnel and athletic directors, have been working on a draft of a random drug testing procedure that will likely be implemented next fall. While the school district initially planned on testing only athletes, it will now likely incorporate students who drive to school. The policy, which must be voted upon by the school board, spells out specifics of testing procedure, collection of urine samples, confidentiality and procedures for dealing with infractions. The random drug testing will likely cost the school district approximately $30,000 per year, or about $16 per test, according to Holloway. According to board member Jim Ponsoldt, who has mixed feelings about the proposed measures, a relatively recent U.S. Supreme Court decision approved drug testing for athletes because drug use puts them at a safety risk. While the Supreme Court has not been confronted with random drug testing for those who drive to school, several school systems around the country employ the method, reasoning that driving under the influence would also put those students at a safety risk. Cedar Shoals Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) co-president Suzanne Bourgeois, noting that she was speaking as a mother and not as a representative of the PTO, said she supports drug dog searches and random drug testing. "As long as we don't take a stand and do some aggressive things -- like drug dog testing -- we are part of the problem and not part of the solution." - --- MAP posted-by: Josh