READERS SPEAK OUT

The Daily Camera asked readers the question: "Is allowing drug-sniffing
dogs into schools a good way to deter drug use or an
unreasonable intrusion?" Here are some of the responses.

Readers Speak Out:

In my opinion, drug sniffing dogs would be an excellent idea in middle
as well as high schools. Nothing else has been working to stem drug
use. Anything we can do, including cameras, to prevent drugs from
being a part of the culture of public education would improve the
shabby current conditions and reputation.

- - Paul Whiteside, Boulder

Obviously we want our kids drug free, especially in school. It is a
major problem in many US schools and seems to be getting worse every
year. But spending more time educating the kids about the effects of
drug use, short and long term may be just as effective. If there is a
major problem in a school after all of the avenues have been explored
in trying to educate the kids to make their own wise decisions about
drug us then maybe it might be a justified act. Let them know that it
wont be tolerated and WHY and what the result could be. Dont just send
in the dogs and expect the kids to not feel resentment and animosity
towards the school. Kids are just that-kids. They make mistakes, they
experiment and always will. But more times than not they are not fully
aware of the results of their actions. Drug sniffing dogs may make
them feel less confident, more like a criminal and have a negative
effect. Maybe the school should add some metal detectors and issue
uniforms with numbers on them to complete the whole "prison-like"
atmosphere. In conclusion, the dogs should be a VERY last resort to
try to solve the problem that the adults in their lives failed to help
take care of.

- - AEH, Chicago

This is definately an unreasonable intrusion. I can't believe the
hysteria the media is creating over the recent ecstasy-related death
of Britney Chambers. Since she actually died from drinking too much
water it seems irresponsible to blame it entirely on the drug she
took. After all, the other 6 kids were evidently fine after taking the
exact same drug that night. How many more of our constitutional rights
are we going to concede in the name of this unwinnable "war on some
drugs"? Can drug sniffing dogs even smell ecstasy? Meanwhile the
sheeple can continue to think that the government can protect their
kids from the "bad" drugs while they sip contentedly on their third
martini. George Orwell was wrong...it's going to be much worse that he
predicted in _1984_.

- - Jeff Hansen, Boulder

We should all remember that school is training for citizenship. Using
drug sniffing dogs as often as possible is simply excellent training
for life in a police state. With the drug war hysteria, which
justifies outrages like civil forfeiture where citizens' property can
be taken on mere suspicion without probable cause, Draconian mandatory
minimum sentences for drug violations, and an incarceration rate
exceeding that of almost any civilized country (mostly due to locking
up drug "criminals"), as well as many other violations too numerous to
mention here, this training is entirely appropriate. In that vein, we
can improve the curriculum with random urine tests for all. And while
we're at it, why not random strip searches, even when there is no
actual reason to suspect anything? It is also very important that we
make sure that civics class excludes any mention of the 4th amendment,
or in fact any other of the pesky amendments in that outmoded
constitution thing. Finally, I am just so impressed that Monarch
principal, Bill Johnson, has the moral courage to stay neutral. With a
role model like him, students will certainly learn the importance of
not standing up for their, or anyone else's rights, when after all,
it's ever so much easier to be neutral.

- - Steve Dunn, Boulder

Without due cause to be sniffing out a particular student's body or
possessions, it sounds like an invasion of privacy and a further
erosion of personal freedom to me. Catching kids with drugs, and
hassling the rest of them whether they're using or not, is not the
answer. Spend our tax money educating them honestly about the
potential dangers and drawbacks of drugs instead.

- - Curtis Martin, Boulder

I shouldn't be able to decide this issue for other people's children.
It's none of my business. Neither should school boards, school
administrators, or the legislature. Only parents should decide for
themselves what's right for their children. Unfortunately government
schools only offer one-size-fits-all straight jacket solutions. If a
government school chooses to use drug sniffing dogs, then the parents
that don't want the dogs lose, and if the government schools chose not
to use drug sniffing dogs, then the parents who want the dogs lose.
Parents: Put yourself in control of your child's education by home
schooling them or sending them to private school.

- - Chuck Wright, Louisville

I find it a great idea to have drug sniffing dogs in schools. That
should put a lid on all the traffic. Who ever came up with this idea
should be congratulated. I consider it less of an intrision than
having credit card companies getting my personal information. And
something needs to be done to get our children off drugs. Another
thing that would also be good to have in schools are metal detectors.
This way no guns could enter the school grounds either.

- - Margarete Landau, Boulder

I believe it is an unreasonable intrusion. This is just a case of the
school board saying that the students are guilty until proven innocent.

- - Sammy Roth, Boulder

Boy, this is an easy one. Using Drug Sniffing Dogs in a "we're only
doing what's right for the kids" search for illegal drug use in
Boulder Valley Schools, arises from the same mentality that would
bring video cameras to view activities on the grounds outside of
Boulder High.Many speak against recreational drugs being placed in the
same category as alcohol and cigarettes, legalized but controlled,
because of the message it would send to our children. The presence of
police dogs sniffing their way down the school hallway looking for the
presence of illegal substances also sends a message.I think it goes
something like "Kids, you are living in a police state, get used to
it".

- - August Sirkin, Longmont

It's unfortunate some parents feel that schools are the place to
search for drugs. How about parents taking responsibility for their
kids and any policing that is needed. Don't put yet another burden on
school resources. Schools are for teaching not preaching, policing or
babysitting.To take this a step further, isn't it time to stop free
school busing. Yes,just another drain on school resources. How about
charging a user fee to help offset the cost of operation. I am sure
this money could be put to good use in the schools.

- - Celeste McDowell, Boulder

In response to your question whether drug sniffing dogs should be used
in our schools, I say that idea is ridiculous and will not ever deter
the use of drugs by our children. It will only drive those kids that
are doing drugs further underground. This may come as a surprise, but
we know of people using mind altering drugs, such as alcohol, since
history has been recorded. The type of police involvement that is
being suggested has yet to prove its effectiveness. I wonder if it
ever occurs to those people who want to use these tactics that it is
possible that kids take drugs to get high, not because they are
rebelling, or because there is no closeness in the family, or that
there are "problems" at all? Is it possible that they simply want to
get high, see what it's all about? Couldn't we spend the time and
money on productive education efforts instead? Knowing that there will
always be some kids that WILL do drugs, no matter what, why can't we
teach them about really knowing what they are getting into, like that
some drugs may have additives in them that could kill, paralyze, or
have lasting psychotic effects? (Remember when the pesticide paraquat
was being sprayed on marijuana in Mexico, and people were getting very
sick from the paraquat, and not the marijuana?) What if the kids at
Monarch High School had known that MDMA can cause extreme thirst and
that over-drinking water can cause a coma, or even, as what did
happen, death? With real, and truthful education, I believe kids will
be intelligent enough to then make their own decisions about the
safety of the drugs being offered, as opposed to making decisions
based on the fear of being caught. Isn't it also true that ever since
we have instated the "War on Drugs" 12 years ago, that the use and
sale of drugs has not decreased one bit? Logically this would say that
this policing tactic is really quite ineffective and that possibly
alternative solutions should be considered. I have lived in this
beautiful city for 22 years and to me, Boulder has always stood for
innovative, positive and effective solutions. Let's not replace this
attitude with one that other communities have proven not to work.

- - Kerstin Lieff , Boulder

I think it is naive of parents to believe that having drug sniffing
dogs check lockers at our schools is going to stop the drug problem or
protect their child. When are parents going to realize the job firmly
rests on our shoulders to educate, support, love, and BE THERE for our
kids? Of course the schools are there to support and add more
structured education on drugs, sex, life as a teenager. But the parent
must talk to their child, know who the child's friends are and give
unconditional love and support. I am not living in a fantasy land and
know that even though I talk to my kids and support the education they
receive, they may still give into peer pressure or curiosity. I am
only hoping and praying they won't. Invading a student's privacy (drug
sniffing dogs, going through lockers without probable cause) is not
going to stop drug use. It will only cause those who use drugs to
become more creative in where they store them. Will we next search
cars on campus? What about the teachers? Why do we leave them out? Do
we start searching their storage areas, bags, cars? I had one son
graduate from Fairview High and my younger son attends Monarch High.
Both schools are excellent and both schools have kids who will use
drugs. What both schools need are more parents involved in their
child's life.

- - Gayle M. Schack, Louisville

The thought of bringing police with drug-sniffing dogs into our high
schools to search students' lockers is appalling. The unprovoked
search of their school with the K-9 dogs only illustrates adults power
over them, would violate trust and invade their privacy, most of whom
have earned the right to that privacy. This show of muscle would
alienate teens without producing a positive outcome. The teen years
are a time when our children are working toward independence and with
this comes a certain amount of rejection of what they have known and
accepted as truth in the past. They are trying on new behaviors,
values, ways of being and need to know they have a safe refuge within
a caring and loving adult community where they can return when they
are facing those inevitable failures. I am the parent of a sophomore
at Monarch High School. The recent incident involving drugs and a
teenage girl's death has shaken up our community because it has
brought reality through our front door and into our living room. I
want schools (and the world) to be safe for my children. We have
problems but the solution needs to be found in working as a community
with our children, not against them.

- - Debbie Helser, Louisville

What are these parents thinking ...asking the school district to open
up the schools for drug dog inspections? I'll tell you when the school
should be opening their doors to this kind of inspection and
infringement...when the homes of all the students and their cars have
first been allowed the same intrusion. If these same parents who do not
know where jonny has been all night will open theirown homes up, well
then after that let the dogs go and check out the schools too. Like if
I were a kid in school planning on goin to the friday night rave...I
would have to go back to school at 10:00pm to get my stash before I go
out for the night...or do I keep my drugs at home or in the car that
daddy bought me? The last place to keep a stash in the least accessable
place for when i need it. Tell these parents to wake up, take some
responcibility for their own kids and then to go and stop policing
others or expecting others to do their jobs with their kids.

- - Seth Sovak, Boulder