Pubdate: Wed, 22 Dec 2004
Source: Groton Landmark (MA)
Copyright: 2004 MediaNews Group, Inc. and Nashoba Publications
Contact:  http://www.grotonlandmark.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3436
Author: Pierre Comtois
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/raids.htm (Drug Raids)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States)

PETITION OPPOSES CHANGES TO DRUG ENFORCEMENT RULE

GROTON -- The Groton Dunstable Regional School Committee received
without comment a statement signed by a number of former school
officials opposing proposed changes in the district's policies
regarding unannounced drug searches on school property.

The statement was read before the committee at its regular meeting
last Wednesday by Groton resident and past School Committee member
Chris Mills.

"We, the undersigned," began the statement, "wish to express our
opposition to a district-wide substance abuse policy that diminishes
or intrudes upon the ability of our district's administrators to
respond to the threat of illegal drugs in our schools using strategies
they judge to be best."

In particular, those supporting the statement opposed the specific
mention in the revised policy of drug searches by specially trained
canines. The actual wording proposed for the change in the policy's
language would simply give the administration the "authorization" to
use any means it deems fit to control the use and presence of drugs
and alcohol on school grounds including, but not restricted to, the
use of dogs.

But to the supporters of the petition, such mention of a specific tool
implies its recommendation rather than simply its suggestion.

According to the statement read by Mills, including any such specific
recommendation amounted to an "intrusion" upon the duties of the
administration, which the signers regarded as made up of professionals
who know how to do their jobs.

The change in the schools' drug search policy was prompted earlier in
the year after Groton Chief of Police Robert Mulhern in partnership
with the New England Law Enforcement Council received permission from
School Superintendent Dr. Mary Jennings to conduct an unannounced
search of the high school using specially trained drug-sniffing dogs.

Although at one point a search of the parking lot was made, a planned
indoor visit never happened.

In the meantime, the School Committee took a vote in support of
Jennings' plan to allow drug searches to proceed indoors but almost
immediately there was confusion as to just what was intended by the
motion.

As a result, the issue was taken up by the Policy Sub-Committee, which
began to revise the wording of the schools' drug search rules taking
into account the vote taken by the full School Committee on the issue.

What resulted from those revisions is what the statement read by Mills
Wednesday night sought to address.

"The Groton Dunstable Regional School District is a unique and favored
school system in large part because of the skill and dedication of its
professional staff," the statement concluded. "For the sake of
perpetuating the excellence of our school district, and for the safety
and well-being of all our students, the School Committee should
continue to enable, and not obstruct, the excellent work our
administrators do on our children's behalf."

The statement was signed by, among others, Jane Allen, Peter
Cunningham, Chase Duffy, Su Peyton and Karen Riggert of Groton and Pat
Dumont of Dunstable.

"We will continue to watch the Policy Sub-Committee and the School
Committee in general," said Mills about what supporters of the
statement intended to do next. "People are interested in the issue and
we intend to keep an eye on it.

"Since we believe strongly in the issue, we will continue to voice our
opinion forcefully," Mills concluded.

Following a well attended public hearing on the matter held Dec. 6,
the proposed changes in the drug search policy have since been
returned to the sub-committee for further review.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin