SCHOOL BOARD EYES DRUG DOGS

SURREY - Surrey school board will decide in the spring whether to allow
drug-sniffing dogs in schools for random checks of student lockers, but
won't be greatly influenced by a city task force report backing the
measure, board chairman Shawn Wilson says.

The board expects to vote on drug dogs in April after receiving a report
from its senior managers outlining various measures to keep students safe
in schools, Wilson said.

"The fact the city has kind of endorsed this is good ... but it doesn't
really change anything for us," he said.

Wilson said he thinks dog searches can help principals who are concerned
about drug dealing in their schools, but he would have to weigh various
factors before voting in favour of random searches.

One factor is the cost. Earlier, the RCMP informed the board that it could
not provide its dogs for random searches and the school board would have to
contract a private agency. The estimated cost is $275 an hour, a hefty
price tag for any cash-strapped school district.

Another issue is student privacy. The B.C. privacy commissioner has already
expressed concern about the plan and asked the district to submit a privacy
impact statement before approving a policy that would allow random searches.

"Increased surveillance is not always the answer to complex social
problems," commissioner David Loukidelis said in an earlier release.

Although several Lower Mainland school districts said they use
drug-sniffing dogs for specific searches, none said they are considering
random searches.

"It's only done under very special circumstances," said John Anderson,
Delta superintendent. "And it's usually done in cooperation with police and
parents."