MOVE ON DRUG-SNIFFING DOGS RIGHT ONE

The Desert Sands Unified School District will soon have one more
tool available to help deter drug use in school.

At its board meeting on Tuesday, the district decided to move ahead
with plans to allow drug-sniffing dogs to patrol school campuses.

The dogs would only be used at the district's four high schools.

More than 50 parents, community leaders, students, law enforcement
officials and high school principals attended the district's meeting
to hear from the community and the board.

The comments made at the meeting mostly favored the plan; others
worried that their child may be wrongly accused.

Admittedly, there are details and procedures that need to be worked
out. It's important that everyone understands the rules and are on
the same page when the patrols begin.

Parents and students will not be left in the dark. Schools will host
information sessions to demonstrate how the dogs work and the
process that occurs after a dog stops at a student's belongings.

Superintendent Doris Wilson, who plans to return to the board by
March 20 with a timeline and potential contractor, said the district
wants to use the dogs once before the end of the year.

That's a smart move. If parents and students see and understand how
the sniffing dogs work this school year, it could spare everyone a
lot of angst and worry over the summer.

By the time the 2007-08 school year rolls around, the idea of
drug-sniffing dogs on campus won't seem like such a scary idea after all.