Drug dogs gone but not forgotten -Marin IJ - Editorial - May 25, 2006

Drug dogs gone but not forgotten
Marin IJ - Editorial - May 25, 2006


TRUSTEES DID the right thing in pulling the plug on the use of drug-sniffing dogs at Martin Luther King Jr. Academy middle school in Marin City.

Many parents and civil rights groups were rightly outraged by the controversial program. Both the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Association for Advancement of Colored People called on the school board to end the contract.

After initially digging in their heels, Sausalito Marin City School District trustees finally got the message.

They should have conducted an exhaustive public information process before bringing in the dogs.

Few would argue against a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to illegal drugs on any campus. Trustees continue to insist that there is no drug problem at the district's small middle school. But they apparently thought that bringing in drug-sniffing dogs to perform monthly inspections would publicly underscore that anti-drug message.

They also should have been aware that such drug-dog programs raise all sorts of emotional reactions, including fear, guilt and resentment, that must be weighed against any benefits.

Use of drug-sniffing dogs should be a last resort.

Trustees should have stuck to something they should know about - education.

Public awareness, education, responsive teachers and positive connections with local police are among the primary tools the district should use to help make sure its middle school campus is free of drugs.

Trustees suspended the contract in March after dogs were brought to the campus for an introduction to students and controversy erupted. Many parents felt they were not adequately informed about the plan before it was approved. Last week, trustees voted to formally cancel the program.

Trustees are working hard to build community support and confidence in district schools. This painful episode should have educated trustees about the importance of public involvement in government.

We hope that Sausalito Marin City trustees learned a valuable lesson in political science, one about the importance of connecting with the people they serve. They did the right thing by ending the contract.