MADISON (WKOW) -- The Madison Metropolitan School District will partner with Madison police to crack down on drugs in schools.
The school board approved police canine drug sweeps at its meeting Monday night. The board voted five to one to conduct searches at middle and high schools. Board of Education President James Howard voted it, saying it should only start in high schools.
The board did change the language to prohibit a K9 team from actually examining a student. The dogs are only allowed to search common areas like hallways and lockers.
Drug sweeps would happen when students are in classrooms or after school hours, but students wouldn't know about them ahead of time.
The policy includes an annual review to look at whether it has been effective.
A school safety coordinator estimates K9 teams would do drug sweeps 2-3 times a semester at a typical high school.
Ultimately, it is up to a school principal to make the request and the superintendent to approve it.
The policy is in effect for this school year, but all involved say the sweeps will not start until parents and students have had enough time to learn about it.
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MADISON (WKOW) -- The Madison Board of Education is expected to vote Monday night on a proposal that would use canines to conduct drug sweeps in middle and high schools.
After discussing the proposal since July, Madison School District administration is recommending the school board approves the proposal to partner with Madison Police to crackdown against drugs.
The Board of Education will be meeting behind closed doors at 5:30 p.m. before they are scheduled to take up the issue at 6 p.m. at the Doyle Administration Building.
The district polled more than 2,000 people from July to August, asking if the Madison School District should partner with police to use canines to conduct drug sweeps in middle and high schools.
Through polls on the web or over the phone, 68-75 percent of people voted in support of the proposal.
People identifying themselves as multi-racial were the least supportive of the plan of all sub-groups at 59 percent.
The school district says it would limit drug sweeps to common areas like hallways and lockers.
They would happen when students are in classrooms or after school hours, but students would not know about them ahead of time.
Other school districts in the area already use drug dogs, including Middleton, Sun Prairie and Monona Grove.
Lysee Mitri will have more tonight on 27 News at 10.
