Pubdate: Fri, 09 Aug 2002
Source: Aberdeen American News (SD)
Copyright: 2002 Aberdeen American News
Contact:  http://web.aberdeennews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1484
Author: The Associated Press
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

NO DRUG DOGS WILL BE ALLOWED NEAR STUDENTS IN WAGNER

SIOUX FALLS - Drug-sniffing dogs will not be allowed near students at 
Wagner while a lawsuit is pending in court, according to an agreement by 
both sides in the case.

The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against the district for 
bringing a drug-sniffing dog into the school twice last spring.

Graham Boyd, director of the ACLU drug policy litigation project, said the 
agreement will give parents and kids some relief as the suit continues in 
federal court.

Twenty-two elementary and high school students and their families have 
joined the lawsuit.

According to the complaint, students were told they would have to stay in 
their classrooms for several hours while drug-sniffing dogs searched each 
classroom.

The ACLU said the searches violated the children's rights against 
unreasonable searches.

Ken Cotton, an attorney for the school district, said the search was in 
response to complaints from parents about drugs in the school and did not 
involve classrooms below third grade.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager