CACTUS SHADOWS HIGH OPENS DOORS TO DRUG-SNIFFING DOGS

Cactus Shadows High School is welcoming drug sniffing dogs into its
hallways, making it the latest school in the Scottsdale area to use
canines to combat drug use among students.

The Cave Creek Unified School District governing board approved plans
at a recent meeting for Scottsdale police to bring in the dogs.

"We just want to be really proactive," Cave Creek schools spokeswoman
Nedda Shafir said. "It's not to take away their rights, but to make
sure they stay safe."

Searches will likely begin next fall, she said. Since August, police
have brought dogs into four of the five Scottsdale Unified School
District high schools, though searches have found no drugs.

Shafir said no particular cases of drug use have spurred the
searches. Rather, she said they are part of a beefed-up school
security plan that includes forums on topics like drug abuse and
Internet safety.

During the 2004-05 school year, Cactus Shadows reported 11 incidents
of students possessing or using illegal drugs on campus, according to
the 2005 Safe and Drug Free Schools Report.

Cactus Shadows student body president Steven O'Connor, 18, said he
thinks drug dogs are a good idea because it shows the district will
not tolerate drugs on campus.

"I think every high school campus has some sort of problem with
drugs. I'm sure if I wanted to find drugs on campus, I probably
could," he said. "But I haven't seen anybody affected by it, so I
don't think it's as big a problem as it could be at another high
school."

He said he does not believe searches violate students' privacy rights
because the dogs will only sniff outside lockers.

If they smell drugs, administrators will call the student in and
search the locker with him or her present.

O'Connor said he hopes the searches can help identify teens who need
help or rehabilitation.