KANAWHA BOARD WANTS DRUG DOGS BACK IN SCHOOLS

The Kanawha County school board is considering a crackdown on student
drug use, including the possibility of more dog patrols in schools
and even student drug testing.

"I think it's a bigger problem than it needs to be," member Becky
Jordon said. "Our goal needs to be (for drugs to be) nonexistent. The
drugs are what bring guns into our schools. I think the board needs
to take a stricter stance on this."

Board member Pete Thaw said, "We have a serious drug problem (in our
schools)."

Drugs are a bigger problem at certain schools in the county, board
President Jim Crawford said.

Jordon recommends an increased use of drug dog patrols in the
schools, something she said hasn't been done frequently enough in
some facilities.

Principals are in charge of arranging when the police canine teams
come to their schools, and they have to notify the central board
office when they do so, Kanawha County Schools Superintendent Ron
Duerring said.

Duerring said he could not remember the last time dogs were brought
into a school but said it has happened a few times this year at
various county schools.

At a board meeting on Thursday, member Bill Raglin briefly mentioned
the possibility of drug testing students, citing a policy passed
earlier this month by the Putnam County school board.

There, drug testing will be voluntary. Students who sign up for
testing will receive incentives, such as discounts at theaters,
coupons from retailers and gift certificates to restaurants. Results
of the tests will be shared with only the student and his or her parents.

Most Kanawha school board members said they don't think it's likely
they'll implement a similar policy.

"At this point right now, I don't think we're there," Crawford said.
"I don't think that's on the plate. That may be something where we're
overstepping our bounds. At this point, I think it's up to the
parents to make those decisions. We just can't raise them from the
time they get out of bed in the morning until the time they go to
bed at night.

"I would be open-minded to it," he said. "It's just not something I
think there's any serious consideration for."

Jordon said she thinks student testing is an extreme measure and
unnecessary.

"Drug testing kids - come on," Jordon said.

Board member Pete Thaw said he would support such a policy, but he
predicted it would never pass.

"They wouldn't even consider drug testing teachers," he said. "I'm
always for drug testing."

For several months last year, school board members debated a policy
that would have made teachers subject to random drug tests. The
proposal came about after a string of drug arrests among classroom
teachers and a principal.

Board members ultimately voted for a policy requiring screenings
prior to employment and random testing only for workers in
safety-sensitive positions, such as bus drivers and school nurses.

For now, Duerring said he plans to talk to principals about bringing
in drug dogs more often and on a random basis.

The schools have an agreement with the Kanawha County Sheriff's
Department, which brings the dogs to the schools free of charge,
Duerring said.

Jordon said she would like to see dogs in the schools on a weekly
basis.

"If these kids know the dogs are there, there's a good chance kids
won't bring the drugs," she said. "We need to keep these dogs hopping
in these schools. Let's clean it up. Let's cut back on the
distractions."