PROTECTING STUDENTS

As a resident of Goose Creek and having a son who attends Goose Creek
High School, I am very concerned about the safety of our schools. I
believe they should be a safe haven, providing an environment that
fosters learning. Anything the school administrators and police need
to do to protect this environment should be done.

I support the police in their actions. While it seems out of place to
draw weapons on students in the school, would the outcry of
indignation be different if this same scenario of suspected drug
activity took place outside a business and the owner requested the
police assistance in removing the activity? Would we expect police
officers to confront a group of 17- to 19-year-olds, who were in an
area of suspected drug activity, without safeguarding their lives, by
having means of defense at the ready? And would they not be able to
safeguard suspects until the problems can be sorted out?

My impression of the parents' concern is that they feel that the
police threatened their children unnecessarily and that the search or
sweep for drugs was unlawful. Be that as it may, I'm sure that police
would not have set themselves up for this kind of reaction without
some cause. Maybe the parents should look more toward teaching a
respect for authority and not toward placing blame or avoiding
responsibility.

Question: if their children were sold drugs at school, where would their
support lie? And who would they blame?

ROBERT D. BOSTIC

Goose Creek