Drug Dogs

Before I write this post, I have to say from the get-go that I have a strong opinion on this subject. I’ve seen drugs destroy the lives of way too many people. I’ve helped kids bury kids because of drugs. I don’t take their use lightly, don’t condone any use whatsoever, don’t find marijuana use to be recreational or okay, don’t hang out with adults who think they’re okay. As someone who’s worked with young people for nineteen years I’m taking a stand to say that drugs destroys lives. From a first hand point of view, I’ve seen drug use steal kids hope, their ambition, their self respect, their futures, and their very lives.

I’ve heard the counterpoint to my stand from way too many kids and adults who have no idea how moronic they actually sound as they attempt to defend their choices. I’ve lost kids I cared about and been disappointed too many times by those I advocated for just to see them slide back into addiction. Drug use is heartbreaking and cruel and all but impossible to beat too many times.

When I see our kids I see the best that they are and can be. Drug use steals this from them.

Today we brought in the drug dogs. Thank you to Deputy Grice and the cooperating agencies who helped him to orchestrate this effort with our high school principal, Dave Davison. At my request, the two of them shared the detail of our search with no one else in our school community, including me. It’s just too easy in a small town like Randolph for that information to leak out and then the effort is compromised.

At about 1:20 yesterday we went into a lock down in our high school building as we escorted police and their drug dogs through our hallways, locker rooms and parking lot. Why? Because I want to send a strong message to our students that potential drug use is taken seriously at Randolph, that we intend to do whatever we can to prevent it and that we will do everything within our school discipline code and to the extent possible with law enforcement when we encounter it. I refuse to sit idly by and accept that our kids may be using drugs.

Enough said.