GROUP HITS AT DRUG USE IN SCHOOLS

Parents might have the final say over whether Columbia Public
Schools uses drug dogs to make sure students aren't bringing illegal
substances onto school grounds.

A school district task force charged with looking at drug abuse in
schools stopped short of recommending drug dogs. Instead, the
committee is asking the board to continue studying whether the
canines would be an effective way to keep drugs off school grounds,
Assistant Superintendent Lynn Barnett told the board during a work
session today at the District Administration Building.

"The task force did not come to a consensus about drug dogs," she
said. Some members felt the dogs "would send a clear message that we
will not tolerate drugs on campus, but others did not feel clear"
that the dogs would be a good idea.

Board member David Ballenger asked the district to send surveys to
parents to see what they think about using dogs to check parking lots.

"I bet you most parents would like to see something like that," he
said. "We don't have enough personnel to check every car, but we
could certainly have a canine out there."

The drug task force - a group of about 50 school and community
members who have been meeting for five months - is recommending more
programs and education to alleviate drug abuse among students.

The committee would like to see the district allocate $100,000 for
school activities that would give students something to do after
school. The committee also recommends providing one activity bus at
all six middle and junior high schools to transport students to and
from these events.

Communication and education are also critical, Barnett said. The
task force recommends the district hire a full-time employee to
oversee an aggressive marketing campaign, airing anti-drug messages
on the district's cable channel, mailing information to patrons and
creating educational DVDs.

Although it wasn't a formal recommendation, Barnett said one member
of the task force suggested changing the starting times at secondary
schools. Middle, junior and high schools now start the day earlier
than elementary schools. If secondary schools were to start school
later, sports and other after-school activities would stretch later
into the evening, leaving less idle time for students. Research has
shown that boredom is one of the biggest contributors to drug and
alcohol abuse.

Board members said the community's attitude toward marijuana might
also contribute to drug problems among teenagers.

"The local marijuana ordinance is really misleading," said Columbia
police Officer Mark Brotemarkle, school resource officer at Hickman
High School. "A lot of students think it's OK."

The ordinance makes possession of small amounts of marijuana subject
to a summons and a minor fine.

Board member Don Ludwig said the ordinance sends the wrong message.
He suggested the board pass a resolution opposing the ordinance.

Implementing anti-drug programs might require more local funding in
the future. School officials are anticipating federal funding from
the Safe and Drug Free Schools Act will dwindle in coming years.
Columbia now gets about $100,000 a year from that federal program.