Pubdate: Wed, 20 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: Brian Kennedy, Adam Wiggins
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n461/a04.html
Related: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n611/a03.html

SCHOOL DRUG SEARCH HAD A HIGH COST, WITH LITTLE BENEFIT

I am a student at Oconee County High School. The drug sweep that took place 
at school last week shocked me. It is a violation of our Fourth Amendment 
rights protecting people from unlawful search and seizure.

Or, does that not apply to students? Are we inferior citizens? In our 
civics class, we learn about our constitutional rights but we do not seem 
to be protected by them. That seems wrong to me.

The goal of attending school is to become better informed and aware 
citizens. Instead, we are force fed information in a prison-like 
environment subject to random searches for contraband.

On Tuesday, March 12, at the beginning of first period, the principal made 
an announcement that we were now under lock down procedure and that no one 
was allowed to leave the classroom. All the doors in the school were locked 
and no one could move anywhere. Then, toward the end of the period, 
Principal Mark Channell unlocked the door to our classroom and asked us to 
leave our book bags and coats in the room and file out into the hall. The 
two agents from RAIDS Corps. and Mr. Channell proceeded to search the room 
without probable cause. We were not allowed to leave our classrooms for 45 
minutes after first period was supposed to be over.

All of this -- an unconstitutional search, a significant expenditure of 
money and 1,700 students losing 45 minutes of instructional time -- so that 
two people could be apprehended on misdemeanor charges of possession of 
marijuana. This hardly made a dent in the drug problem at the school. I am 
not sure what the answer is, but these searches accomplish little at a high 
price!

Brian Kennedy

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PROTECTING KIDS FROM DRUGS ISN'T WORTH SACRIFICING RIGHTS

Reading the March 13 article, titled "High school locked down for drug 
search," I can't help but be ashamed at the incredible low our country has 
come to, thanks to this misguided "War on Drugs."

Random searches (for drugs or any other purpose) are not only demeaning, 
but also highly unconstitutional. It undermines a very basic principle of 
our great nation: "Innocent until proven guilty."

Children deserve to have their rights respected in the same way as any 
adult. If you treat a kid like a criminal, you can be sure that they will 
grow up to be one! A much better policy is to treat them with dignity and 
respect.

In their rush to "protect the children," I think we sometimes forget that 
kids are people, too.

Adam Wiggins

Pasadena, Calif.
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MAP posted-by: Ariel