ACLU Meeting on School District Drug Dog Policy with George Stratigos - Minutes of April 17, 2006 Meeting

ACLU Marin Chapter
Board of Directors
Convened at the West End Cafι
Meeting of April 17, 2006

Meeting called to order at 7:35.

Present: Art Duffy, Coleman Persily, George Pegelow, June Swan, Art Duffy,
Bob Harmon (secretary), Aref Ahmadia (chairman), Jerry Ellersdorfer, Arnie
Scher (treasurer), Rico Hurvich

Guests Present: Mary Gomes, George Stratigos (pres., Sausalito School
Dist.), Drina Brooke, Jack Beggs.

Approval of agenda. Play (“Muzzled in America”) under new business, George
Stratigos to speak before chair's report. M/S as amended.

George Stratigos, chair of the Sausalito School District Board, invited by
Rico Hurvich to speak. Could not understand why he is "on other side of the
fence" from ACLU on the dog drug searches. Trying to change the reputation
of a predominantly-African-American school district. Quite offensive spin;
furor, "lynch mob" mentality.

Arnie Scher: we didn't know how this happened; this being handled by
ACLU-NC.

George Stratigos: this allowed press to exploit the racial aspects the
district has grown far beyond. Most of comments not by parents in district.
District seeking to dispel reputation for drug-dealing, the stigma as well
as any real drugs. Want to be a 900 API district. Put dog policy in effect
in November, in unoccupied areas of campus. Gave notice to parents; also
showed dogs to students in assembly. African-American students will go on to
high school in Mill Valley and subjected to disparate treatment in drug
searches; need to inform them of this kind of enforcement. "Individualized
suspicion" is part of policy, do not sniff individuals, search unoccupied
areas. Blown into a major issue. Looked like ACLU had false information;
looks like a publicity stunt. Public has provided overwhelming support; fact
and perception of drugs a major problem for the school board and ACLU-NC
wasn't helpful. Now headlines are, e.g., "Troubled School District Hires New
Superintendent," etc. We got sideswiped and want to understand.

George Pegelow: understand parents got truncated notice; parents told on a
Friday and students searched on a Monday. Calls made to Marin Human rights
Roundtable; complaints by students and parents. Parents concerned, some
preliminary publicity; some students media request, via Whitney Hoyt, and
students not heard by school board. Perception that school board not
interested. District can search unoccupied areas; possibly ACLU-NC has wrong
information. (Stratigos) ACLU sent letter to us and to the press. (Pegelow)
This problem was significant before. Also, this school only has 38 students.
Community -- not ACLU -- felt that other ways of addressing issues are
needed. Will communicate this to ACLU-NC on Thursday; feel that letter did
not have all facts.

(Stratigos) the First dog-sniffing mention was not agendized at the first
meeting. Put it on agenda later, of 200 people only 3 parents were present.
Want to send message of no tolerance of drugs. Want to integrate kids with
society. SSD has burden of showing Marin. Don't want to pre-label kids; dog
issue is minor. Someone out there is using this district to show it "a
museum of racism" and everyone has role expectations.

(Jerry Ellersdorfer) Urged Stratigos to write ACLU-NC directly since they
originated the letter. Also, remember we're very sensitive to search &
seizure, even going in on a mass basis without reasonable cause is what
we're concerned with. ACLU is generally sensitive to this.

(Stratigos) we are sensitive to unreasonable search & seizure issue. But
have real facts of concern to us, 30 arrests for drugs within a few blocks
of our school. 17 days before the public hearing, a child did bring some
marijuana onto campus; felt that press had given them impunity.

(June Swan) Would it be helpful if we wrote letter to editor? (Pegelow)
Should come from ACLU-NC. (others) Chapter Board learned of letter from
papers. Our board usually tries to deal with issues informally and defuse
issues. (Stratigos) whoever called ACLU-NC also called NAACP. Agenda.

(Aref) Asked George Pegelow to raise the issue at ACLU-NC. Stratigos gave
Pegelow a copy of the district policy. Also SSD has called focus groups and
place for parents to talk in privacy, and talk with kids about getting rid
of drugs. Dogs were just a tool, not an objective. We do have people who
want to sell us drug programs.

(June Swan) Mentioned someone who founded a "Good for the Hood" program in
Marin city. (George P.) Try to make sure people know your concern, nothing
surreptitious, less emotional, need to encourage community to attend more
board meetings and not just the controversial ones.

(Bill King) Noted that he was a former Novato SD member, had similar
controversy, considerable denial about the drug problem in Marin, not many
drug education programs in Marin because of controversy. People felt concern
about dogs; need to explain how dogs are used; never to be used against a
person but against lockers and cars. Some of us who were in the civil rights
movement in 1960s have memories of police dogs, Bull Connor &c.

(Art Duffy) Thanked George Stratigos for his comments. (Stratigos) In Marin
city and Sausalito are strange relationships between various groups and the
School Board; taking strong stand to be center of community, moving middle
school and SSD offices into Marin City, $12M school bldg and
performance-driven (not poverty-driven) programs.