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UK: Schools must get parents consent for drugs search

Ananova

Monday 28 Apr 2003

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The Government has stated schools planning to use sniffer dogs to stamp
out drug use by their pupils should get the go-ahead from parents first.

Parents' representatives said they would support the controversial
tactic because they were terrified of their children getting involved
with drugs.

An increasing number of schools have resorted to bringing in the
specially-trained animals in recent years to prevent children taking or
dealing substances such as cannabis on the premises.

Pupils whose parents refused consent to sniffer dog searches or urine
tests should be removed beforehand, said updated guidance from the
Department for Education and Skills.

It made clear that such measures were to be used in "extreme
circumstances".

The guidance stressed that schools must carefully consider whether
pupils might be "damaged" by being labelled in the wake of a search and
if those that needed it would get the appropriate help as a result.

Schools should also work out if such measures tallied with their
responsibility to create a "supportive environment".

Last summer, Kent Police conducted sniffer dog searches in 10 secondary
schools where pupils were told they were being used to stage mock raids
on a night club as part of a drugs education lesson.

The dogs nosed out 11 who admitted to using cannabis and 62 who had come
into contact with the drug and police said the scheme would be extended
across the county following the successful experiment.

Margaret Morrissey, spokeswoman for the National Confederation of Parent
Teacher Associations said she thought 99% of parents would agree to
sniffer dog searches.

"Parents are terrified of their children being involved with drugs and
will do anything they can to help solve the problem."

Warnings that schools may use dogs or urine tests ought to be included
in their published drugs policies and could be written into home-school
agreements, she went on.

"It is important that it is done very carefully and with sensitivity,"
she added.

 

 

 

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