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."
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MAP posted-by: Josh