Pubdate: Mon, 25 Feb 2008
Source: Charleston Daily Mail (WV)
Copyright: 2008 Charleston Daily Mail
Contact:  http://www.dailymail.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/76
Author: Kelly L. Holleran
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

KANAWHA BOARD WANTS DRUG DOGS BACK IN SCHOOLS

The Kanawha County school board is considering a  crackdown on student
drug use, including the  possibility of more dog patrols in schools
and even  student drug testing.

"I think it's a bigger problem than it needs to be,"  member Becky
Jordon said. "Our goal needs to be (for  drugs to be) nonexistent. The
drugs are what bring guns  into our schools. I think the board needs
to take a  stricter stance on this."

Board member Pete Thaw said, "We have a serious drug  problem (in our
schools)."

Drugs are a bigger problem at certain schools in the  county, board
President Jim Crawford said.

Jordon recommends an increased use of drug dog patrols  in the
schools, something she said hasn't been done  frequently enough in
some facilities.

Principals are in charge of arranging when the police  canine teams
come to their schools, and they have to  notify the central board
office when they do so,  Kanawha County Schools Superintendent Ron
Duerring  said.

Duerring said he could not remember the last time dogs  were brought
into a school but said it has happened a  few times this year at
various county schools.

At a board meeting on Thursday, member Bill Raglin  briefly mentioned
the possibility of drug testing  students, citing a policy passed
earlier this month by  the Putnam County school board.

There, drug testing will be voluntary. Students who  sign up for
testing will receive incentives, such as  discounts at theaters,
coupons from retailers and gift  certificates to restaurants. Results
of the tests will  be shared with only the student and his or her parents.

Most Kanawha school board members said they don't think  it's likely
they'll implement a similar policy.

"At this point right now, I don't think we're there,"  Crawford said.
"I don't think that's on the plate. That  may be something where we're
overstepping our bounds.  At this point, I think it's up to the
parents to make  those decisions. We just can't raise them from the
time  they get out of bed in the morning until the time they  go to
bed at night.

"I would be open-minded to it," he said. "It's just not  something I
think there's any serious consideration  for."

Jordon said she thinks student testing is an extreme  measure and
unnecessary.

"Drug testing kids - come on," Jordon said.

Board member Pete Thaw said he would support such a  policy, but he
predicted it would never pass.

"They wouldn't even consider drug testing teachers," he  said. "I'm
always for drug testing."

For several months last year, school board members  debated a policy
that would have made teachers subject  to random drug tests. The
proposal came about after a  string of drug arrests among classroom
teachers and a  principal.

Board members ultimately voted for a policy requiring  screenings
prior to employment and random testing only  for workers in
safety-sensitive positions, such as bus  drivers and school nurses.

For now, Duerring said he plans to talk to principals  about bringing
in drug dogs more often and on a random  basis.

The schools have an agreement with the Kanawha County  Sheriff's
Department, which brings the dogs to the  schools free of charge,
Duerring said.

Jordon said she would like to see dogs in the schools  on a weekly
basis.

"If these kids know the dogs are there, there's a good  chance kids
won't bring the drugs," she said. "We need  to keep these dogs hopping
in these schools. Let's  clean it up. Let's cut back on the
distractions."
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MAP posted-by: Steve Heath