Pubdate: Tue, 26 Mar 2002
Source: Athens Banner-Herald (GA)
Copyright: 2002 Athens Newspapers Inc
Contact:  http://www.onlineathens.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1535
Author: Tommy Warren, Jr.

OCONEE TEACHER DEFENDS DRUG SEARCH AND OTHER PREVENTIONS

Providing a safe environment for students to learn is the greatest respect 
that can be given to our children. The minority side of an issue usually 
tends to be the most vocal, so I felt compelled to respond to some of the 
letters and columns printed. I have read some catch phrases with very 
little substance to back them up in these articles, such as "Guilty until 
proven innocent." The only explanation for this headline I could find in 
Ben Bartlett's (March 22) column is that preventative measures 
automatically imply guilt.

While I cannot speak for other teachers, administrators or the school 
system, I can say teachers live to see students succeed. That is the 
driving force behind what we do. When a preventative measure is taken, such 
as the search, it does not imply guilt. What it does is help ensure our 
students are given the safest environment possible to succeed. Specific 
students are not targeted. It is handled as a school community, teachers 
included. At no time, is guilt assumed or implied.

If it were true that preventative measures implied guilt, then that brings 
up a number of issues in our society. Am I implying guilt by watching over 
my students as they take a test? Am I assumed guilty when the gate checkers 
at sporting events look into a bag I'm carrying into the stadium?

The truth is the preventative measures help protect a student's privacy. 
Only students who were chosen by the highly trained dogs were even spoken 
to, and they were not automatically assumed guilty. The plain fact is that 
weapons on school grounds and drugs are illegal. Trying to keep our school 
free of those things is putting our students' safety first. It can alert 
parents to issues regarding their children and provide those children with 
help to make the right decisions and be successful.

To say Oconee County has lost sight of what it is fighting for in its 
schools is an unsubstantiated, ignorant statement made by someone who has 
no idea what goes on at our high school. Before criticizing the principles 
of what educators spend their lives trying to accomplish, it would be 
appropriate to gain some experience in that area. We work hard to help 
students be successful as students and people. Do not say we have lost 
sight of our goal as educators; there is nothing more offensive.

Tommy Warren, Jr.

OCHS Teacher
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MAP posted-by: Beth