SCHOOLS CONSIDER DRUG, ALCOHOL SEARCHES

Law-enforcement officers met with the Durango School District 9-R
Board Thursday to discuss drug and alcohol problems among 9-R students.

The widespread use and availability of alcohol and illegal drugs,
primarily among high school students, has police and educators concerned.

"I think you would be surprised at the level of drugs that are
available," said Martha Minot, La Plata County Court judge. "I think
you could get any kind of drug at Durango High. ... As a parent, that
concerns me."

Durango Police Sgt. Doug Embree said that since Monday, police have
issued 15 underage drinking citations, a typical number for a week,
and one that usually includes some drug and paraphernalia possession
charges.

The board, Minot, three Durango police officers and La Plata County
Sheriff's DARE officer Steve O'Neil shared thoughts on reducing
availability by means that could include random dog searches of
lockers and increased parental involvement.

"My biggest issue is the parents," said Durango Police Sgt. Jim
Spratlen. "(Drug education) has got to be reinforced by the parents,
or it's going to go nowhere."

Mary Barter, 9-R superintendent, said the district's policy is to
notify both law enforcement and parents when a child is found with or
under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

"We are seeking to enforce our own policies and to hold these
youngsters accountable through the court system as well as through our
disciplinary process," Barter said.

While school administrators seek assistance from police in such cases,
the arrangement is not reciprocal, a statutory condition that
Durango Police Capt. Gary McKnight would like to see changed. The law
prohibits police from notifying schools of student arrests, he said.

"It kind of ties our hands and it ties yours also," McKnight said. By
changing the law, "maybe you could do something in the school to put a
little more pressure on parents maybe to keep tabs on their kids."

Board President Tom Dugan said that while parental involvement is
encouraged at all levels in the district, the board's role in
requiring that is unclear.

"I don't think that adopting a policy is going to solve anything in
that area," Dugan said.

Barter agreed that dog searches would go a long way to let students
know that the district's no-tolerance drug policy is no joke, but
board member Glenn Dorrell had some reservations.

"If you spend all of your energy and time having dogs going through
the lockers, do you ever have time to teach the kids anything?"
Dorrell said.

The two groups said they will continue working together to attack the
problem. They agreed that alcohol and drug abuse are likely to persist.

"I know through long years of experience that it happens in every high
school, and sometimes in middle schools and elementary schools as
well," Barter said.