Pubdate: Sat, 02 Feb 2008
Source: Bakersfield Californian, The (CA)
Copyright: 2008 The Bakersfield Californian
Contact:  http://www.bakersfield.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/36
Author: Marylee Shrider
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?237 (Drug Dogs)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

UNLEASH THE DOGS AT KHSD

Every year the Kern High School District expels about  500 students from 
its schools for drug-related  offenses.

That number amounts to a piddling 1.3 percent of the  district's 37,000 
students. At least some folks find it  piddling. Some, like KHSD Trustee 
Bob Hampton,  apparently even find it acceptable.

He all but said as much with his abrupt dismissal of  the suggestion by 
Trustee Ken Mettler that the district  bring drug-sniffing dogs on campuses 
in a preemptive  strike in the local war against drugs.

"The rules are (already) there for our campus  supervisors," said Hampton 
at the Jan. 7 board meeting.  "To put a canine on campus just destroys 
the  educational atmosphere and placing individual responsibility on our 
students is the way to go, rather  than a canine."

By all means, let's bet student safety on the  "individual responsibility" 
of our teens, since that  always works so well.

Mettler suggested, and will officially propose at  Monday night's board 
meeting, that the district  implement a canine deterrent program, as 
school  districts have already done in cities like Los Angeles,  San Diego, 
Fresno, Delano, Taft and McFarland.

Mettler made the suggestion after returning from a  "state-sanctioned 
seminar, where taxpayers send us to  get these ideas."

But for some, the mere suggestion of canines on campus  conjures up images 
of pop-eyed Dobermans or salivating  Rottweilers, straining against their 
leads as they  stalk school corridors.

But the dogs used in campus programs, Metter says, are  generally affable 
breeds like Golden Retrievers,  trained to "alert" on the scent of drugs, 
alcohol and  guns. Their on-campus presence, he says, will hardly 
be  noticed, as most searches of lockers and parking lots will be done 
during class time.

It's then up to the school to decide whether to  confront the student. 
Should they choose to do so, and  the student refuses to open his or her 
locker, parents  will be called to help find out why. Good grief, 
I've  experienced more intrusive searches at the Kern County courthouse, 
yet this is what Hampton says will "destroy  the educational atmosphere" of 
our high schools.

Is he kidding? Because today's teens aren't. They're  serious about their 
drug and alcohol use, as most  cognizant high school teachers or involved 
parents can  tell you.

Want to know what really destroys the educational  atmosphere? On-campus 
drug sales. Drug use, on or off  campus. DUI arrests. And how about the 
death of a  classmate from a drug overdose? Think students find  that 
disturbing? Mine sure did.

It's not rocket science to figure out that the 500  students expelled each 
year are the ones who happen to  get caught. And a grasp of basic math 
shows keeping  just a fraction of those 500 in school will more than  pay 
for the program's estimated $55,000 annual cost.

Trustees, give students another reason to say no. Give  parents and 
teachers another way to protect their  teens. Unleash the hounds. They have 
work to do.
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D