Pubdate: Sun, 02 Nov 2003
Source: Independent & Free Press, The (CN ON)
Contact:  2003 Metroland Printing, Publishing and Distributing
Website: http://www.thebramptonguardian.com/br/gi/home/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3144
Author: Ken Key

USE OF POLICE DOGS IN SCHOOLS 'DEPLORABLE'

Dear editor,

Re: September 5 story "Police dogs make return...to schools"

So we are going to get the police dogs back in our high schools to find 
drugs, guns and other weapons.

Surely there must be a better way to combat this than turning our schools 
into something resembling an armed camp.

Then there is the comment by Officer Nishan Duraiappah, who said "it will 
be interesting to see if the prevalence of what is termed 'soft drugs', 
like marijuana and hashish, or harder drugs, such as ecstasy, are on the 
rise among youths."

Interesting? How about horrible, deplorable or downright sad. Does he think 
this is some kind of data collecting, noble research project, wherein the 
process, he is sanctioned by some higher authority to violate the right of 
our students, creating an environment of fear, suspicion, surveillance and 
confinement? Whatever happened to the words renounce, reform, and 
rehabilitate? And what ever happened to the use of education as the most 
effective tool in the battle against drugs?

I can only hope there are some self-respecting teachers out there who are 
going to take the time to teach the students their constitutional rights to 
protect them from such harassment, injustice and intimidation. It is time 
for all citizens to revolt against actions that are intended to curb 
illegal and unacceptable activity but only result in curtailing the right 
and freedoms of responsible law-abiding people. Our youth included.

Ken Key,

Glen Williams
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom