DRUG DOG SEARCHES A GO; WAIT AND SEE ON RANDOM TESTING

The Clarke County School District is moving forward on random searches by
drug dogs at the district's two high schools, but will wait for a U.S.
Supreme Court ruling before deciding whether to implement random drug
testing for student athletes and those who drive to school.

Clarke County joins many school systems around the country looking toward
the nation's highest court to glean whether broadening anti-drug tactics
will be upheld as constitutional.

This past week, the Supreme Court has been hearing a case brought forth by
Oklahoma City high school choir and marching band member Lindsay Earls.
Earls refused to submit a urine sample sought by her school district, which
randomly tests those who are engaged in extracurricular activities.

At stake is whether the Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable
searches extends to students for whom there is no suspicion of wrongdoing.

Just two weeks ago, Oconee County High School was subject to drug dog
searches. Lockers, cars, and select classrooms where students had left
their book bags were searched, and small amounts of marijuana were found in
two students' cars.

So far, most members of the Clarke County Board of Education have been
supportive of a more pro-active anti-drug policy than the one currently in
place. Now, if a student is caught with drugs, he or she is suspended
pending a hearing in front of the school district's hearing officer.

Students are also subject to the Athens-Clarke County Police Department's
jurisdiction, and so may be prosecuted for illegal behavior.

Clarke Schools Superintendent Lewis Holloway said last month he sent out
letters to parents advising them of upcoming random searches by drug dogs
- -- searches which he has said will likely be conducted by the Georgia
Emergency Management Agency and the Athens-Clarke County Police Department,
and will not cost the school district anything.

Holloway said he expects the first search to occur before the end of this
school year.

Drug dog searches do not need board approval, because they do not require a
change in school policy, according to Holloway. Random testing of athletes
and those who drive to school, however, will require board approval as well
as the tailoring of a brand-new policy, and could cost the school district
approximately $30,000 a year, according to Holloway.

"Our hope is to have drug testing in place by the beginning of next school
year, but we are waiting to hear about the Supreme Court ruling," said
Holloway.

Board president Lyndon Goodly said he thinks drug dog searches and drug
testing would be a deterrent for those who bring drugs into school, as well
as those who use drugs outside of school.

"We want the minimum exposure for kids who may be vulnerable to people
coming in and pushing drugs on them," he said.

But Cedar Shoals High School senior Josh Eaton, who says he does not use
drugs, believes the school district's focus is misdirected. "I really don't
support drugs at all," said Eaton.

"But at the same time I don't think the government has the right to take a
urine sample from someone just because they want to play sports."

aton said he wishes that the money the district may spend on drug tests
could instead be used to better fund the arts, drama, and health education
programs -- ones that he says do not receive sufficient resources.

"I'd like to see a lot healthier approach to it -- where the drug war and
morals war don't seem more important than people's lives," he said. Board
member Jim Ponsoldt -- a University of Georgia law professor who has taught
constitutional law -- said he does not think there has been overwhelming
evidence that Clarke County's drug problem has "crossed that line."

"Without any evidence of a major problem in school, I find that we have
gone too far from promoting liberty to promoting control," said Ponsoldt.