Schools Urged To Use Sniffer Dogs

[Guest Lottie]

Local education authorities are being urged to use sniffer dogs to stop drugs being brought into schools.

Criminologists evaluated a pilot scheme at six Buckinghamshire secondary schools and found the dogs effective.

The John Grieve Centre for Policing and Community Safety made an independent study of the programme and recommended that it should be extended.

Researchers warned procedures needed to be robust so that children did not play truant to avoid being caught.

Two kinds of sniffer dog were used in the schools.

'Advance warning'

A proactive dog, typically a spaniel, searched buildings and classrooms, while a passive dog, a labrador, was stationed inside school gates to detect whether pupils were carrying drugs, or had come into contact with them.

Professor Allyson MacVean, who led the study, said the animals should be part of every school's anti-drugs strategy.

But she said personal searches might be more effective if they were conducted at random while lessons were in progress.

If pupils thought they would be checked as they came in, they would play truant.

Children could also warn their peers of searches by mobile phone.

A study by Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College, found most pupils (82%), parents (98%) and staff (92%) were in favour of the use of dogs.

Discipline and counselling

The report said those caught in possession should be subject to both a "robust disciplinary procedure" and rehabilitation and counselling.

A National Centre for Social Research study of 225 English schools in 2000 found more than one third of pupils had been offered at least one drug, the most common being cannabis.

For the Buckinghamshire Chilterns study, 260 questionnaires were returned - 100 from pupils, 88 from parents and 72 from staff.

Of the children, 11% said they had been offered drugs in school, while 12% had tried them.

Last year, sniffer dogs started working on some school buses in South Yorkshire, carrying out random checks.

Random drug tests on pupils have also been used at the Abbey School in Faversham, Kent, since January.

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[I am me]

kids will find a way around it

this is crazy, drugs are not causing problems in schools even if they are in the schools. legalize drugs and get the government out of the school system

[TheBlueDragon]

I think it is an invasion of you personal privacy, but taking drugs to school is not smart. I think the same way I AM ME, get the goverment out of schools.

[BurnSide]

Umm, what? How on earth can you take the government out of the school system?

Anyway, they're been doing random dog checks here at schools for awhile now, and it works wonders. It's hardly an invasion of privacy if you're breaking the law, they're checking to make sure you're not.

[Walken]

Indeed. The goverment IS the school.

I'm not sure how healthy this is for the atmosphere.

Walken doesnt take drugs, but not by choice. Theres no way to get them around here.

[mrmonsoon]

I don't agree with it.

It assumes you are guilt and made subject to a search.

It is an invasion of students rights, but worse than that it is part of the police state preparing them to be adults with out rights by treating them that way when they are young.

Since it was done to you while you were young, it would be accepted by u as an adult.

Think of how the Nazi's started their ways. It was all done for " the public protection" Each step they lost more and more rights till they had none-seems the US government has learned lessons from history-only the wrong ones.

[Shaftsbury]

Discipline and counselling

The report said those caught in possession should be subject to both a "robust disciplinary procedure" and rehabilitation and counselling.

That doesn't sound like a police state to me, if it was they wouldn't bother with the latter part of that statement.

I agree with the educators, drugs are an undesirable influence in schools and need to be eliminated.

As long as drugs are illegal, the people who use drugs are criminals.

It assumes you are guilt and made subject to a search.

Hey if you can walk by the dog and he/she does nothing, I'd hardly say that was an infringement on your rights, after all the police are still the good guys aren't they?

[I am me]

when i say get the government out of the school system...i mean end all public education, sell off all of the schools to companies or whoever wishes to buy them.

[BurnSide]

Yeah, that's a great idea.

[Dreamer]

ooookay... take the schools away from the government? I hardly see how that would help. The only thing that would do is create an even bigger social gap then there already is. If it was taken away from the government and sold to the largest company they would become schools for profit only. Students would slip threw the cracks like crazy. Over crowding, bad books, and alot worse would happen from companies trying to cut corners and save money. I think its bad enough without people trying to make a profit off the poor. (however I would love to revamp the school system my way) It would be the cheapest of everything or worse for poor students and they would have no refuge what so ever.

Anyways onto the topic... I think it sound sensible. It is a way of protecting kids. While I dont do drugs, I dont really give people who do a hard time. In school peer pressure is really bad and canabis is not the only drug out there. Some drugs are really dangerous if not made right and can kill a person.

[girty1600]

I hope it works but I have my doubts. I can see it now, parent or parents of busted child rally others and storm the school board because their child's rights to use and carry drugs have been infringed upon. I am sorry if an eight-year-old's right to privacy takes a back seat to the safety of the entire school.

[Walken]

Thats a terrible idea. Public schools mean evreyone can get an education. Private schools mean that only the well-off can get an education. Do you think thats fair? I don't

[DarkSinister]

Heh...if you don't bring drugs to school, than there's no worries.

[Guest Lottie]

Exactly!

[I am me]

a school for proffit would have motivation to teach the kids, because with out results they would lose members. now of course rich kids could get into more expensive schools, but there could be charities to help out poor kids who can test into better schools. the school system now is a joke. a private system where kids are not forced to attend is better. schools now are more of a baby sitting organization rather than an actual school. also think of all that money you would get back from taxes if you didn't have to pay for public schooling. kids who really don't need the education can go get appreticeships or learn trades. some schools could turn into trade schools turning out 18 year olds who are ready to work. the so called "entitled" education that people get here in the USA is a joke. to get into the best schools you still need to have money so you can live in the right zoning areas.

literacy rates have fallen ever since public schooling has been put into effect. the more money politicians pour into the system, the worse it gets. the schools form to fit what the government wants so that they can get the money. it is against the constitution for the national government to have its hand in the school system in the first place.

[wunarmdscissor]

if youve nowt to hide whats the problem,

i personally took weed to school , looking back if i had got caught then hell mend me .

[Shaftsbury]

a school for proffit would have motivation to teach the kids, because with out results they would lose members.

The problem with this is that $$$ is a pretty good motivator too, so what's stopping the schools from fudging the results?

Here's a perfect example of what I mean:

Alberta's standards for truckers came under the microscope in February, when a Calgary driving school was shut down amid allegations that it was selling Class 1 licences, which allowed unqualified drivers to get behind the wheel of semis.

The British Columbia government re-tested more than 100 drivers who had gone through the school in Calgary, and all failed.

You still need to have the government involved so that they can ensure that standards are being met, and that the students are getting a fair deal.