MORE SUSPENSIONS FOR DRUGS THAN ALCOHOL IN S.D. 57 SCHOOLS

School District 57 will not follow an Abbotsford school board's lead
and allow dogs to sniff out drugs in students' lockers, says
superintendent Dick Chambers.

"That's not being contemplated," he said Monday, the same day the
Abbotsford board voted to allow drug-sniffing dogs to be used. "We're
not looking at routinely using the RCMP to do drug searches using dogs."

The proposal to have dogs in Abbotsford schools was a controversial
one, with B.C. Civil Liberties Association questioning whether having
the dogs would invade privacy and trump Charter rights.

Chambers said the dogs do raise issues around lawful search and
seizure and individual rights.

He said the district knows students use drugs - there are more
suspensions in the district for being under the influence of drugs
than for being under the influence of alcohol -but whether students
are getting their drugs in school, or at recess and lunch hour is unclear.

"I don't think (the amount of drugs) is out of proportion (to a city
Prince George's size)," he said. "It is worrisome, but it's as much of
a reflection of society as anything else.

It's also reflective of drug prices, he said, noting a "shot" of
crystal meth goes for $5.

"That's a pretty affordable drug," he said. "That's our world."

If students are found to involved in trafficking, Chambers said, the
RCMP is contacted, the student is suspended, and referred to
counselling.

The school district already has a number of programs in place,
including the RCMP's Drug and Alcohol Resistance Education (DARE)
program, to teach students about drugs and to prevent their use.

"We appreciate the RCMP's support in that," Chambers said.