Pubdate: Mon, 22 Apr 2002
Source: Spruce Grove Examiner, The (CN AB)
Copyright: 2002 The Grove Examiner
Contact:  http://www.sprucegroveexaminer.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1842
Author: Josephine Mah
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

STUDENT INTERROGATION AND DRUG-FREE POLICY AMENDED

The public school division's policy on interrogations, searches, and 
interviews by outside agencies has been tightened.

Parkland School Division trustees approved changes to the policy at their 
April 16 meeting.

After soliciting advice from the division's lawyers, trustees decided the 
policy needed to be updated to clarify locker searches. The amended 
document recognizes that the board owns the lockers, and school 
administrators have the right to inspect them if the principal or his 
designate has "reasonable grounds that a student is concealing something, 
possession of which is a violation of the law, or of school rules."

Under the revised policy, students also have the opportunity to "provide 
consent for such a search and to be present, or to make voluntary 
disclosure of the suspected property."

Students are also allowed to have an adult present at the search.

Trustee Richard Mah said that puts a lot of responsibility on a child. "It 
might be intimidating for a 12 year-old to be making that decision."

Administrators who perform the search will be held liable for any lost or 
stolen goods taken from the student.

The policy was reviewed by the division's solicitors to ensure it complies 
with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the parameters set out by the 
Supreme Court of Canada.

Drugs

At the same meeting, trustees reviewed and revised the Drug-Free Protocol 
to meet the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIP) act.

A clause in the previous agreement had Parkland administrators sharing 
expulsion information with the Evergreen Catholic Separate Regional 
Division, but that was found to break FOIP laws.

At the beginning of the school year, students must sign a locker agreement 
and review the Drug-Free Protocol with their parents before being issued a 
locker.

The Drug-Free Protocol is a joint project by both school divisions and the 
local RCMP detachments to keep drugs and other contraband substances off 
school grounds.
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