Response to Drug Dogs Marin IJ - By George Stratigos

We will not look the other way
by George Stratigos Marin Independent Journal

THE PUBLIC conversation of our board's decision to contract with a firm used by other Marin County schools to perform drug detection sweeps, utilizing specially trained dogs, has gotten far ahead of the facts.
At two publicly noticed district board meetings in late 2005, this program was discussed in open session. Once the program was approved as part of a comprehensive drug prevention policy, we notified, by mail, all of our students' parents.
In January, we held an assembly with the students in which company representatives came and introduced the drug-sniffing golden retrievers to staff and students, and the students were told that sweeps of common areas in and around the school would be made on a periodic basis. It was also noted that individual checks of students would not occur unless there was specific cause to do such a search.
To date, no detection sweep has actually occurred. The vocal protest that has now arisen around this component of our drug prevention policy, however, would lead the casual observer to think otherwise.
The board is further examining this policy and will discuss it in public session at a special meeting in the multi-purpose room of Bayside Elementary School on Monday at 7 p.m.
Whatever our final decision on the future of this particular program, I want to assure parents and concerned community members that we will remain vigilant in protecting our children from the scourge of drugs that impacts our nation, our state, our county and our community.
The easy answer to concerns about drug abuse is to simply look the other way. That does a great disservice to our children and their right to a safe and drug-free environment.
Over the last six years, we have doubled our test scores. We have more to do to accomplish what we call "Vision 900," a program that will take us to the top of our county in test score performance.
We have no intention of allowing the corrosive influence of drugs to deter our students from accomplishing this goal and from achieving their dreams.
George Stratigos is president of the Sausalito Marin City School District Board of Trustees.