HARVEST OF CONTRABAND

Crime statistics for Durham Public Schools have something in common with
the old question of what came first, the chicken or the egg. A state report
says DPS' security efforts turned up almost 80 percent more weapons and
drugs in the 2002-03 school year than in the year before.

But did more weapons and drugs actually enter the schools, or did enhanced
security simply produce a higher yield from a stable stream of contraband?
DPS says the higher figure for 2002-03 reflects better security, not an
increase in school crime.

Maybe so, but it's still sobering to realize that cases of weapons
possession in the school system shot up from 52 in 2001-02 to 92 in
2002-03. Drug busts rose from 47 to 86 in the same period.

These two categories pushed DPS' reported crime and violence rate from 4.7
incidents per 1,000 students in 2001-02 to 7.2 per 1,000 students in
2002-03. The statewide incidence rate last year was 6.6 per 1,000 students.

There is, however, some good news for DPS in the state statistics. Assaults
on teachers and other school personnel fell sharply from 23 in 2001-02 to
seven last year. Only two sexual assaults were reported.

No-nonsense security is vital to safe schools. Many of us remember a
halcyon time when the schools were bereft of metal detectors and
drug-sniffing dogs. But if that's what it takes to keep the peace in
today's schools, bring it on.