SEARCHING LOCKERS

Billerica's School Committee made the right decision Monday allowing
student lockers to be searched without warning, or in the presence of
the student concerned on a random basis.

While we cringe at trampling a student liberty, the safety of all
students and the self-preservation of the school itself overrides all
privacy issues in this matter. The scale between student rights vs.
student safety must tilt toward the latter in this era of school violence.

The committee members didn't act in haste; they gave the matter first
reading last June. The decision reflects a sound policy that will
allow officials to use their judgment in balancing constitutional
rights against safety.

No student who has a locker free of weapons, drugs, alcohol or stolen
items has to worry. Anyone who is breaking the law has cause for
concern. That's how it was 25 years ago in high school, and that's how
it must remain.

Before the Columbine massacre, education was considered a public
school's highest priority; now it's both education and security.

If unannounced locker searches are going to deter a certain group of
students from doing harm to others or public property, then locker
searches are needed.

Students and their parents must support this decision.