CANDIDATES SEE SAFETY DIFFERENTLY

Safety in schools emerges as one of the key issues facing the Surrey school
district, according to an informal poll of candidates vying for a seat at
the school board table.

Some candidates spoke about the problem of bullying - which was defined as
anything from verbal teasing and harassment to physical violence - while
others pointed to the controversial issue of drug dogs in the city's schools.

Veteran trustee Heather Stilwell, running under the Surrey Electors Team
banner, defends the current board's plans to use dogs in the city's schools
to sniff out drug dealers and users.

Stilwell says a recent survey reveals many students don't feel safe in
their schools and bringing in drug dogs is one way in which the board is
responding in creating a safer atmosphere.

School board chairwoman Mary Polak, a SET runningmate, said using drug dogs
as part of a wider anti-drug policy is "a positive step."

"Kids have a right to be educated in a drug-free environment," she said.

SET's detractors were vociferous in their criticism of the drug dog proposal.

Pauline Greaves, an independent endorsed by SET's rival, the Surrey
Community Coalition, says the board is going after the wrong people.

"You cannot use an educational institution to solve social issues," Greaves
said.

"Drug dogs aren't going to solve the problem. What we need is enforcement
for the drug dealers.

"They're going after the wrong people and they're trying to use educators
to do law enforcement. That's absurd."

Chris Silvester, another independent endorsed by SCC, dismissed the
strategy as a cynical ploy to get votes.

"The only reason they're doing it is to try and get a few votes. They've
been in office for six years. You can't be silent for six years and then
all of a sudden come up with a zero-tolerance towards it," said Silvester,
a teen drug and alcohol counsellor.

Opponents of the drug dog proposal insist more education about the evils of
drugs is more effective in enabling teens to make healthy choices.

Chad McRae, running as an independent and a recent grad of L.A. Matheson
secondary school, says random searches by drug dogs won't work and will
only breed a climate of mistrust.

"In our legal system everyone is innocent until proven guilty. With this,
it seems like the trustees are trying to sidestep it by saying that all
students are suspicious until they prove they don't have drugs in their
lockers," said the 20-year-old SFU student.

Conni Kilfoil, an independent endorsed by SCC, says the policy is outrageous.

"As a lawyer, I think it's a lawsuit waiting to happen. As a parent, I find
it outrageous that this board would make a decision to introduce such an
incredibly invasive policy without any consultation with parents," she said.

Polak rejects Kilfoil's comments and says drug dogs have met with success
in other school districts.

Another hot issue with the candidates is corporate sponsorships in schools
as a way of generating badly needed revenue.

The SET majority on the board doesn't see anything wrong with it. Opponents
have attacked the concept as exploitation of students and an ill-conceived
solution to chronic under funding.