DRUG DOGS TO SEARCH DRYDEN HIGH SCHOOL

Dryden High School (DHS) Principal Rick Victor passed a motion at a recent
school council meeting to bring in a drug dog to search the school.

Victor, who had been against the idea in the past, says this was an
opportunity to provide more for his students.

"I changed my mind because I wanted to expand on the initiative the school
is already doing," he says.

Allowing the K-9 unit to come in and search the school is part of their
initiative to teach all students the consequences of drugs and alcohol.

As part of this initiative, teachers and staff are already helping to
prevent this problem. In the classroom, teachers talk about drug prevention
and board policies as part of the curriculum throughout each grade level,
class and course.

Once a year, a speaker comes in to discuss responsible decision making with
the entire student body.

Recently, Dryden High has implemented a breathalyzer test as a requirement
to get into dances, along with the Safe Grad program.

"Our council's main focus is students and their safety," says Trudy
Griffiths, chair of the Ontario Parent Council.

She adds that bringing in the K-9 unit will hopefully be used as a
deterrent, to compliment the work the school is already doing. Although the
drug dog has been in previously, it was for demonstrations only.

"This issue has been under review for a couple of years now, to ensure the
school is doing everything in its power," she notes.

"There were concerns and I wanted to take every step I could to prevent the
problem. I felt there was a need for it," says Victor.

However, the decision has met with some mixed emotions from both students
and parents.

DHS Student council president Steven Gould reported that many students like
the idea of a dog searching the school because they feel safer and that
they are being taken care of. But other students didn't see the move as an
improvement.

"Even the thought of bringing the dogs into the school is an invasion of
privacy," says Tori Groves, a student at DHS. "I don't have anything to
hide, but I don't think that's right."

Several other students echoed this sentiment.

Some parents believe that it's a good idea and agree it will help the
school become a safer place.

"I think it is a good idea to bring the dogs in," says parent Micheline
Nolet. "This will keep drugs out of the schools and stop kids from selling
them."

Many other parents wondered where it would go from here.

The policy on possession of drugs is as follows: for students in
possession, a 20-day suspension is given; for students suspected of
trafficking narcotics, a minimum of a 21-day expulsion is given. The
parents are also contacted, as well as the police.

Using the K-9 unit involves a 30-minute inspection of lockers and
classrooms, if that is what the principal chooses. There is no set date on
which it happens, and only the principal will be informed.

"From the research I have gathered, the dogs won't be allowed near the
students at any time during the search," says Victor. "Students will be
removed from the area the dog is inspecting."

A detailed letter will be sent to parents in the near future.