FOUR BLACKMAN STUDENTS EXPELLED AFTER K-9 SCAN

As part of on-going efforts to provide safe learning environments in
the Rutherford County Schools system, two high schools were scanned
today for drugs using specially trained K-9 units.

The two schools -- Blackman High and Oakland High -- were selected at
random, and similar scans are planned for all other high schools in
the county sometime this school year, Director of Schools Harry Gill
Jr. said.

The operation was part of a joint effort between the Rutherford County
Schools system and the Rutherford County Sheriff's Department School
Resource Officer program to emphasize the school system's strict
anti-drug stance.

Officers with the Sheriff's Department oversaw the operation and used
dogs to inspect property on campus, including all lockers, equipment
rooms and cars. Students were only searched if the officers had
probable cause to believe they possessed any unauthorized substances,
which is why the operation is described as a "scan" by the sheriff's
department.

As a precaution and to protect the integrity of the investigation, the
schools were placed on a Code Yellow lockdown while the dogs were in
the building, A Code Yellow requires teachers to keep all students in
their classrooms until the lockdown is lifted.

No illegal substances were found at Oakland. At Blackman, marijuana
was discovered in three cars belonging to students and knives were
found in another student's car. All four students were expelled under
the Zero Tolerance Policy. The three students with marijuana were
arrested by the sheriff's department.

Letters are being sent home with all students at both schools to
inform parents of the operation and to explain the commitment the
school system has for maintaining safe schools.