CONTRABAND SEARCHES PLANNED FOR THREE OCONEE SCHOOLS

There will be drug and contraband searches at Oconee County High School,
Malcom Bridge Middle School, and Oconee County Middle School at various
times during the 2002-03 school year. Just when they will happen, school
officials aren't saying. In fact, they say they don't know either. That
decision has been left up to Raid Corps Inc., a company based in
Spartanburg, S.C., that contracts to do drug searches in schools in several
states, including both of the Carolinas. Last week, a few of the details
were released following a meeting that included school superintendent
Shannon Adams, assistant superintendent for Student Services John Osborne,
Oconee High principal Mark Channell, assistant principal Luis Varela,
Malcom Bridge Middle principal Tom Odom, Oconee County Middle principal
Ellen Cowne and Sheriff Scott Berry. Adams said he believed the measure
will be a deterrent to anyone planning to take illegal drugs or contraband
onto campus. "Parents in this community send their children to school
everyday with the expectation they won't be exposed to illegal drugs or
encounter a weapon on campus. That's the main purpose -- to keep the
schools as safe for kids and the staff members as we can," Adams said.
Items like pocketknives, ammunition, fireworks and stink bombs are not
allowed on campus. Last year ammunition was found in some vehicles, though
none was found inside the school. Osborne said many students hunt, but they
need to know to check their vehicles and remove any such items before going
to school. Berry said Raid Corps will notify him prior to the search, then
he will give school administrators at least three minutes notice. Local
deputies will also accompany Raid Corp officers and the dogs. When the
search begins, students undergo a "lock down," meaning they must stay in
whatever classroom they happen to be in. "While the search is conducted, no
one can come and go from the campus," Berry said. "That is for the safety
of the students, the safety of the officers conducting the search and it
also provides for the integrity of the search. That will be regretful.
It'll interfere with some dental appointments and maybe some other type
activities, but the truth is I think the public demands we ensure the
schools are safe. If you are here when the search starts, you'll be here
when it finishes." Channell said all students have handbooks detailing what
they cannot bring on campus. In last year's search, three marijuana charges
were made. "We'll spend more time going over it this year, so they will
know the consequences," he said.