KAUKAUNA MAY USE DOGS FOR SEARCHES

School Board Members Divided On The Proposal

KAUKAUNA - The Board of Education faces a difficult choice: whether to
accept the use of trained dogs for drug searches on school grounds.

"I don't know that I like this idea. I've read the literature on this, and
I still don't feel comfortable. I don't like terms like 'lockdown' to
describe the process. I've yet to see how effective this is," said Jeff
McCabe, a board member.

A Kaukauna High School student doesn't like the proposal much either.

"It almost makes our school look like a jail. We've already got enough
rules as is," said sophomore Kala Van Gompel.

It's not a matter of punishing the entire student body because of a few
students, said Bud Gadow, who co-chairs the high school's Parent Advisory
Committee.

"(High school) students are always making choices, and there are situations
in which they could make a wrong choice. This is a type of topic they need
help with, and having a program in place may be enough to deter some from
using drugs," he said.

Proponents say the number of students expelled in drug-related matters this
year is too high and more should be done to reach out to at-risk youth.

"We've had seven or eight expulsions. My concern is how many more are we
going to go through before the year is out," said Supt. John Foster, who
was instrumental in implementing a drug dog policy about 10 years ago in
the New London School District.

The board is scheduled to have its first hearing on the issue March 8.

Kaukauna school officials reviewed Neenah High School's drug dog procedures
to formulate a policy of its own. "We utilize it and support it, and we do
so because it does assist us in creating a safe culture," said Mark
Duerwaechter, Neenah High School principal.

In the six years that Sgt. Geoff Johnson of the Waupaca Police Department
has taken Badger, a Czechoslovakian-born German shepherd, to the Waupaca
High School for random drug searches, he hasn't heard any complaints. Some
students have grown up seeing Badger in special presentations. "It is one
more tool law enforcement can use, and it can have positive results,"
Johnson said.

Foster expects to give an overview of the district's current drug program
and guidelines and costs should the drug policy be adopted. The second
hearing is scheduled two weeks later and could be followed by the board's
final decision.

Board President John Forster is not convinced the proposal is a good solution.

"I'm really on the fence on this. Number one, these are minors we are
talking about, and there are other mechanisms we can look to. I am really
not excited about this," he said.

Some board members are unsettled about the possibility of setting students
up for embarrassment in front of classmates or a situation where an
individual plants drugs in a student's locker.

Board member Todd Arnoldussen said the board should not be dissuaded from
considering the policy. "This is a matter of being pro-active," he said.