Pubdate: Thu, 14 Nov 2002
Source: Surrey Now (CN BC)
Copyright: 2002 Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc., A Canwest Company
Contact:  http://www.thenownewspaper.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1462
Author: Marisa Babic

CANDIDATES SEE SAFETY DIFFERENTLY

Safety in schools emerges as one of the key issues facing the Surrey school 
district, according to an informal poll of candidates vying for a seat at 
the school board table.

Some candidates spoke about the problem of bullying - which was defined as 
anything from verbal teasing and harassment to physical violence - while 
others pointed to the controversial issue of drug dogs in the city's schools.

Veteran trustee Heather Stilwell, running under the Surrey Electors Team 
banner, defends the current board's plans to use dogs in the city's schools 
to sniff out drug dealers and users.

Stilwell says a recent survey reveals many students don't feel safe in 
their schools and bringing in drug dogs is one way in which the board is 
responding in creating a safer atmosphere.

School board chairwoman Mary Polak, a SET runningmate, said using drug dogs 
as part of a wider anti-drug policy is "a positive step."

"Kids have a right to be educated in a drug-free environment," she said.

SET's detractors were vociferous in their criticism of the drug dog proposal.

Pauline Greaves, an independent endorsed by SET's rival, the Surrey 
Community Coalition, says the board is going after the wrong people.

"You cannot use an educational institution to solve social issues," Greaves 
said.

"Drug dogs aren't going to solve the problem. What we need is enforcement 
for the drug dealers.

"They're going after the wrong people and they're trying to use educators 
to do law enforcement. That's absurd."

Chris Silvester, another independent endorsed by SCC, dismissed the 
strategy as a cynical ploy to get votes.

"The only reason they're doing it is to try and get a few votes. They've 
been in office for six years. You can't be silent for six years and then 
all of a sudden come up with a zero-tolerance towards it," said Silvester, 
a teen drug and alcohol counsellor.

Opponents of the drug dog proposal insist more education about the evils of 
drugs is more effective in enabling teens to make healthy choices.

Chad McRae, running as an independent and a recent grad of L.A. Matheson 
secondary school, says random searches by drug dogs won't work and will 
only breed a climate of mistrust.

"In our legal system everyone is innocent until proven guilty. With this, 
it seems like the trustees are trying to sidestep it by saying that all 
students are suspicious until they prove they don't have drugs in their 
lockers," said the 20-year-old SFU student.

Conni Kilfoil, an independent endorsed by SCC, says the policy is outrageous.

"As a lawyer, I think it's a lawsuit waiting to happen. As a parent, I find 
it outrageous that this board would make a decision to introduce such an 
incredibly invasive policy without any consultation with parents," she said.

Polak rejects Kilfoil's comments and says drug dogs have met with success 
in other school districts.

Another hot issue with the candidates is corporate sponsorships in schools 
as a way of generating badly needed revenue.

The SET majority on the board doesn't see anything wrong with it. Opponents 
have attacked the concept as exploitation of students and an ill-conceived 
solution to chronic under funding.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom