FORCE QUESTIONED IN ST.C. HIGH DRUG RAID

ALTHOUGH ST. CLAIRSVILLE-Richland School District officials support a
drug-free environment, the superintendent believes the recent drug-related
arrests that took place at the high school could have been handled in a
different manner.

Students from St. Clairsville High School were arrested by local, state and
federal law enforcement officials Friday morning. They face drug-related
charges in connection with a drug sweep following a six-month investigation.

Officers, some wearing tactical entry, or "SWAT" gear, entered St.
Clairsville High School, while law enforcement vehicles surrounded the
building and blocked off roadways near the school.

Superintendent Lorrinda Saxby said Saturday that she had been notified
about an hour before law enforcement officials arrived at the school that
some arrests were going to be made. Saxby explained that she did not expect
their presence to be so dramatic.

Meanwhile, Belmont County Sheriff Tom McCort defended the raid, stating
that the measures taken were necessary to show the students that law
enforcement has a "no tolerance" stance on drug use.

Saxby said she was "stunned" by Friday's activities.

"I was under the impression that it was going to be done quietly. When I
got up there and saw the men in combat gear, I was stunned," she said.

Saxby added that once authorities were on the grounds, the school was
locked down with no one entering or exiting. The students arrested were
taken into custody just outside their respective classrooms, but she would
have preferred that they would have been called to the office.

The superintendent said there were students and teachers alike, as well as
parents passing by viewing the school surrounded by law enforcement
vehicles who were unsettled by the scene that was taking place.

"Some were scared, while others probably viewed it as a message. However,
you can send a message without frightening people," she said.

Saxby also questioned why those arrested were not taken into custody at
their homes.

"Would they have gone into a church and done that?" she questioned.

The superintendent also responded to statements made by McCort to local
media. In a press conference following the arrests, McCort said he believes
that the school district has a drug problem.

"I don't know how the sheriff would have any personal knowledge of our
district. He has never communicated with us and has never been in our
buildings," she said.

Saxby added that if authorities suspected a substance problem at the
school, she would have expected that a meeting would have been called with
the administration and that was never done. She said that the school has an
excellent system to supervise the children and she does not believe that
drug activity took place on the school grounds.

"I have no reason to believe that any of this activity took place at
school. What the students do off campus, I don't know," she said.

When evaluating whether the district has a drug problem, Saxby said not
that she is personally aware of. However, school officials will continue to
take action to ensure that drugs do not become a problem. The
superintendent noted that several times a year, drug dogs are brought into
the school just to make sure.

Meanwhile, McCort said Saturday that he based his comments on the fact that
most schools have substance problems. He added that sheriff's department
personnel were at the school with officials from the St. Clairsville Police
Department, who he believes has the same opinion.

"To see problems in the young people, you don't necessarily have to see
them in the classroom, but outside the school," he said.

The sheriff noted it was never indicated that drugs were being taken in the
classrooms. Also, McCort stated that he does visit the school as a guest
speaker several times a year.

In terms of the tactics that were used during the arrests at the school,
McCort said lessons are learned in a variety of ways.

"There is more to education than what's in books, slides and films," he
said. "The students need to see there is no tolerance."

McCort said he has been stopped while shopping and has also received e-mail
from individuals who are pleased that the actions were taken.

Saxby has attended several school sporting events this weekend and stated
that she believes things are back to normal.

"I don't expect us to do anything differently Tuesday morning when we go
back to school," she said.

She said she would like to remind the public the students arrested are
innocent until proven guilty.

Meanwhile, those arrested at the high school during Friday's raid appeared
for their respective hearings Saturday afternoon before Juvenile Judge Mark
Costine. The hearings were held in the courtroom at the Belmont County
Jail. No information was available Saturday night concerning whether the
students arrested remain in custody.