Pubdate: Fri, 19 Sep 2003 Source: Lowell Sun (MA) Copyright: 2003 MediaNews Group, Inc. Contact: http://www.lowellsun.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/852 SEARCHING LOCKERS Billerica's School Committee made the right decision Monday allowing student lockers to be searched without warning, or in the presence of the student concerned on a random basis. While we cringe at trampling a student liberty, the safety of all students and the self-preservation of the school itself overrides all privacy issues in this matter. The scale between student rights vs. student safety must tilt toward the latter in this era of school violence. The committee members didn't act in haste; they gave the matter first reading last June. The decision reflects a sound policy that will allow officials to use their judgment in balancing constitutional rights against safety. No student who has a locker free of weapons, drugs, alcohol or stolen items has to worry. Anyone who is breaking the law has cause for concern. That's how it was 25 years ago in high school, and that's how it must remain. Before the Columbine massacre, education was considered a public school's highest priority; now it's both education and security. If unannounced locker searches are going to deter a certain group of students from doing harm to others or public property, then locker searches are needed. Students and their parents must support this decision. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake