Pubdate: Thu, 14 Nov 2002
Source: Vauxhall Advance, The (CN AB)
Copyright: 2002 The Vauxhall Advance
Contact:  http://www.mysouthernalberta.com/vadvance/home/index.php
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2308

DRUG DOGS SEND STRONG MESSAGE TO STUDENTS

Vauxhall high school teachers and students had a chance to meet the latest 
tool in combating drugs in school Thursday.

The tool came in the form of a pair of 18-month old drugs dogs.

The pair of lab dogs are owned by High West K9 from Monarch and are used to 
detect drugs.

The pair of dogs will visit numerous schools throughout the Horizon school 
division at the discretion of principals.

We may deny the possibility of drugs being present in our schools but the 
fact remains it does happen, and not just in city schools.

Vauxhall principal Johanna Juergenson said herself, parents and teachers 
may want to think it's not possible for drugs to be in the school but a 
person never knows.

The use of the dogs is hardly an invasion of privacy as some critics say.

Most, if not all, school policies state clearly lockers and other spaces 
used to store students belongings are, in fact, part of the school and are 
accessible to school staff when circumstances warrant a staff member to do 
a search.

The dogs are used only to locate possible hiding places of drugs.

The decision to open lockers and search students is left to the school staff.

The very presence of the dogs in the Horizon school division sends a clear 
message that drugs will not be tolerated in schools.

Random visits to the schools will deter any student from thinking of 
bringing drugs to school with the possibility of being caught.

Drugs have not been a problem in Horizon schools and with the new drug dog 
program being employed it can safely be said it will continue to be a 
non-issue in schools.
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MAP posted-by: Beth