CREATING A SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT

Police should enforce the law and keep drugs away from the schools
where students and their parents have a right to expect a safe and
drug-free setting.

Schools and their principal should enforce discipline, but also
provide a positive, supportive environment. They should be
cheerleaders for students and all they accomplish.

That combination of "tough love" appears to be taking place at
Andover High School.

As most people in town know, Andover High Principal Peter Anderson
and Police Chief Brian Pattullo decided to hold a surprise drug
search of the school last Friday, Oct. 24. The search was no small
matter, involving 15 drug-sniffing dogs and officers from a variety
of Massachusetts police departments. It led to only one arrest, from
marijuana found in a student's car parked in a school lot.

While one would think such an unusual hammer would be wielded to
address a major drug issue, Anderson says he wanted the search to
quell rumors that lots of students are using or bringing drugs into
the school. It's a charge that he says he has heard for years. One
can certainly debate whether such a hammer was the right tool.
However, Anderson says he wants the community to see what he sees:
hundreds of kids who are preparing to be the next generation of
leaders and workers. "One of the great frustrations of my life is
that the kids at the high school are incredibly talented," Anderson
says, "and we don't give the kids enough credit."

He believes the result of the search -- just one arrest -- shows
there is not the problem some believe, even while rumors persist,
fueled by Internet comments from some students themselves.

Lest anyone think the drug search was a lone event meant to make a
splash, Andover police do appear to be continuing to monitor drug use
on school grounds. A drive through the Andover High parking lot at
lunchtime on Monday led to another arrest, of a 16-year-old student.
Police should continue to make reasonable efforts to keep drugs off
school grounds.

Meanwhile, Anderson is focusing his comments where they belong -- on
the majority of Andover students who accomplish great things.
Fortunately, he has built a trust with most parents and students over
his time at the school. For instance, in previous years he has met
over pizza in small groups with sophomores to get to know the
students in his building. So most in the community know he has
students' best interests at heart.

No one should pretend that Andover youth don't do drugs. Of course
some do, as their own anonymous answers to health surveys show.
Parents and other authority figures in town should continue to try to
help youth stay away from drugs. But adults can't be everywhere and
some people will always be attracted to drugs.

For now, a combination of routine enforcement to keep drugs off
school grounds and Anderson's efforts to create a positive school
atmosphere should continue to give most Andover students the type of
environment they need to learn, develop and have safe fun.