WIDER SEARCHES AT SCHOOLS A MUST IN FIGHTING DRUGS

It's long past time the Portsmouth School Board began to deal
realistically with the problem of drugs in city schools. That's why
we are pleased to hear the board's policy committee is considering
broadening the current search-and-seizure rules.

The new policy would not only allow for searches of student lockers,
as is currently the case, but would add student vehicles and other
items to the list of things police or school officials could view
without the consent of the students involved.

It would also allow for police dogs to do periodic walk-throughs of
the schools in search of illicit drugs.

This proposed policy change is critical if the community is ever
going to take control of the drug problems at local schools. This is
not to say that Portsmouth is unique in its problems; every school in
the country is dealing with the drug issue.

However, in the past, Portsmouth School Board members and
administrators have been reluctant to implement the kinds of
enforcement actions that must go along with attempts at educating
students about the dangers of drug abuse.

Parents and students have been critical of these actions as well,
contending searches criminalize the vast number of students who are
not involved with drugs in an attempt to find the few who are.

But as recent news articles have shown, the prevalence of drugs in
and around the city's schools is such that further enforcement is
needed. A school resource officer alone has not proven to be a
sufficient deterrent to drug use and sale.

As we have said before in this space, there is probably nothing
anyone can do to completely eradicate drug use among our teenagers.
They are at an age where they feel omnipotent, and a supply of
illicit substances is readily available to anyone who wants it.

But what we can do is make sure that anyone who violates the
"drug-free zone" that surrounds every school in the region will be
reasonably certain that there will be consequences to their actions.

The policy being developed by the School Board's subcommittee could
go a long way toward making that a reality.