SNIFFER DOGS IN SCHOOLS RAISE PRIVACY QUESTIONS

Commissioner prefers teaching about drugs

EDMONTON - Schools should talk to students about drugs instead of bringing
in sniffer dogs or administering saliva tests, Alberta's privacy
commissioner says.

Frank Work's office was responding to recent media reports outlining
concerns voiced by some school administrators about illicit drug use among
students.

"Schools that are considering the use of drug detection processes and
devices need to consider the privacy implications," Work said Friday in a
news release.

If word gets out that certain students are having their lockers raided or
have been tested for drugs in the principal's office, a stigma could be
attached to them, even if they are innocent, said Tim Chander, research and
issues manager with the privacy commission.

While principals are allowed to search lockers and backpacks if drugs are
suspected, Chander said less intrusive methods should be considered first,
including education, peer support and counselling.

While individual drug tests may detect the presence of a drug, he said, the
student may have taken it days or weeks prior to the test. School officials
may be able to reach similar conclusions simply by observing and interacting
with the students, he said.

Drug-sniffing dogs can be very expensive. Instead, the commissioner said
students and staff should be encouraged to report illegal activity to school
officials.

Few schools use drug-sniffing dogs in the Edmonton area. Officials with
Edmonton's public and Catholic boards said dogs aren't used. Both St. Albert
school boards have a five-year-old agreement with the RCMP to allow police
to bring drug-sniffing dogs into schools for random checks.

Joe Demko, superintendent of the St. Albert Protestant board, said parents
and students sign an agreement with the board early in the school year
acknowledging that the checks occur.

No criminal charges can be laid in the case of the random checks, unless the
police find weapons, hard drugs such as heroin, or a large quantity of
"soft" drugs such as marijuana.

"But to date, that hasn't happened," he said.

If similar methods are used in other schools, the commissioner suggests that
drug-testing should be a last resort and done in a transparent way, with
parents and students aware of school policies. Random tests shouldn't be
done, the commission said.