Pubdate: Tue, 11 Nov 2003
Source: State, The (SC)
Copyright: 2003 The State
Contact:  http://www.thestate.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/426
Author: Nicole Sweeney, Staff Writer

MIDLANDS SCHOOLS REACT TO DRUG RAID

Search At Goose Creek's Stratford High Has Local Officials Feeling 'Nauseous'

Midlands school officials are taking note of last week's dramatic drug 
sweep at Goose Creek's Stratford High, where officers charged into school 
with guns drawn, frightening students and infuriating parents.

The nationally televised footage of children cowering on the hallway floor 
made Lexington 3 spokeswoman Judy Turner Fox feel "nauseous."

"I'm sure it was very emotional for the students, for the parents and for 
the faculty," she said. " ... That is not a scenario that any of us ever 
wishes to be involved in."

But Turner Fox and other local school officials are hesitant to say a Goose 
Creek-like search could never happen in the Midlands.

Fourteen officers and one canine unit responded to a tip of drug use at 
Stratford High. Law enforcement didn't find any drugs or weapons.

Most local districts use drug-sniffing dogs to do unannounced searches 
throughout the school year, regardless of whether they've received a tip.

"We do it to be proactive and send a message that we don't tolerate drugs," 
Lexington 2 spokeswoman Venus Holland said. "It's a visibility issue."

Local school officials try to minimize disruption by evacuating students 
first. They say they would expect law enforcement to respond with weapons 
drawn only if there was an imminent threat, such as a hostage situation.

"There is an appropriate way to do this and an inappropriate way," 
Lexington-Richland 5 spokesman Buddy Price said. "We feel like the 
procedures we have in place are appropriate and working."

Holland said there could be other factors in the Goose Creek situation that 
the public doesn't know about, such as weapons or gang involvement.

"I hate to second-guess Goose Creek. It's easy to be a Monday morning 
quarterback," she said.Ridge View High parent Ann Humphries was stunned 
when she saw the Goose Creek scene.

"That was extremely frightening," she said. "To see it on video was 
graphically shocking."

Humphries said she doesn't want to judge law enforcement's actions since 
she wasn't there, but said she would hate to see such a dramatic display of 
force in her child's school.

"A better approach would have been more low-key because that could panic an 
entire school and community," she said.

Local districts say they strive for a more quiet approach.

For instance, Richland 2 has drug-sniffing dogs scour hallways when 
students are in class. The students are then called into the hallway so the 
dogs can check classrooms.

If the dogs find something in a locker or book bag, that student is called 
to the office.

"We want to minimize disruption," district spokesman Ken Blackstone said.

Blackstone said school resource officers also help because they get to know 
students personally and know how to best handle the situation in school."We 
don't ever want to infringe upon someone's rights unnecessarily, but you 
have to balance that with safety," Blackstone said.
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