SAY GOOD-BYE TO THE 4TH AMENDMENT, KIDS

I've read Scott Smith's thoughtful concerns (Standard-Times, Sept. 30)
about whether searches by drug-sniffing dogs infringe on students' Fourth
Amendment rights and whether growing up in an atmosphere of suspicion while
undergoing multiple such intrusions will adversely affect the kids. My
advice to Scott Smith is to relax; it's a dead issue anyway.

When they allowed random drug testing of high school athletes, the Supreme
Court canceled the Fourth Amendment for students. If witnessed excretion is
the price of going out for the soccer team, what's the big deal about
having your locker contents sniffed by a dog, just to stay in school?

Instead, Scott should look at the bright side: It's clear that we're in
this drug war to stay; at the rate we're going, when today's first graders
are ready to leave high school, their career choices will be down to
dealing drugs or working in law enforcement. Either way, the experience of
having dealt with drug-sniffing dogs and other forms of surveillance
throughout their entire school experience will provide some practical
career benefits, unlike that other useless stuff -- math, history, and
science. Is this a great country or what?

THOMAS J. O'CONNELL, M.D.

San Mateo, CA

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski