RAID THE RIGHT THING

We are outraged at the situation at Stratford High School, not about the
drug raid or the way the police conducted it. We are outraged that our
18-year-old son cannot safely attend school. Instead, there are at least
some of the 2,700 students who have no regard for the law and are dealing
drugs in school. This creates an unsafe environment for the rest of the
student body, because most drug dealers carry some type of weapon to ensure
that they are paid for their "poison."

Police officers have a very dangerous job. Having their weapons drawn and
ready during a drug raid is an appropriate action to ensure their safety
and the safety of the innocent children.

These are trained professionals who know how to handle weapons in this type
of situation. We have seen the infamous video several times and the only
students who were touched or shoved were those who did not obey the
officers. By punishing the officers for their actions, the public is just
enforcing the fact that students don't have to listen to authority. Should
we be outraged at this action because it was in a high school? If this raid
had occurred somewhere else, people wouldn't have thought twice about the
officers having their weapons drawn. If children in school are treated
differently in this type of situation, what incentive do they have not to
bring drugs and weapons to school? Absolutely none.

We have read that drugs and weapons were not found during the raid, but
that doesn't mean that there weren't any at the school. The school
administration had been watching students for several days, and apparently
drugs had been transported in some book bags. Now parents are calling for
Principal McCrackin to be fired. For what? Doing his job and keeping our
children safe? This is ludicrous. Who runs our schools? The students, the
parents or the administration? What message does this send to the students?

For the drug dealers, it means that they can do whatever they want, and if
the administration steps in, the principal can be fired. For the rest of
the students, it means that the public has no regard for their safety.

Let's send a message to the handful of students who have no regard for
anyone except themselves and the money they can make from illegal
activities. Drugs and weapons will not be tolerated in our school.

Parents should be supporting the police and the school administration
because they have a very tough job providing an environment conducive to
learning.

BRIAN and TERESA WELDON, 301 Sundial Lane, Ladson