Attack dogs in schools!

Mods: I was not sure where to place this as it falls under many categories, if needed move to a more appropriate forum.

I ran across this article this morning and upon reading it, many questions and problems with the idea came to mind.

Dogs in schools
While I am the last person to talk down about any dog, I believe this system would set dogs up for failiure.
Imagine 500 or 1000 kids interacting with a dog everyday, some who may not even like dogs.
They say these dogs could replace armed teachers for the purpose of an active shooter...
Ask any cop just how easily a dog goes down when you shoot it, they have a lot of experience there.

The article talks of how these dogs could detect guns and DRUGS.
First off, how does one detect guns??
Will these dogs be like the "Mexican sniffing dogs" we see at inland border checkpoints?
Will we teach these dogs to detect Hoppes, Break Free and Frog Lube?? I use all of these on more than just guns.
I see some false positives here, allowing the students to be harassed.
And about sniffing for drugs, what about kids who might be around these elements but are not users?
Would they be harassed and dragged in as well? I see a huge 4th amendment violation here.
Sure dogs are awesome, but there are many tools for many jobs, And I would never use a hammer to drive a screw.
What are your thoughts?

ETA: A gun has NEVER killed anyone on it's own, unfortunately we cannot say the same for our best friends.

And what about kids with allergies? That will make for a miserable day for them.

I don't think this is a good idea at all. And your right, it's setting the poor dog up to fail. Too many things can go wrong with this idea.

I still believe that if teachers want to be able to arm themselves and have had the correct training, they should be able to.
There was just a private school on the news the other day, because the principle and some of the teachers are armed.

Just more nanny state Gestapo stuff.
You don't need teachers to protect their schools. You need cops with menacing canines.

The High School I went to had these types of dogs and their trainers doing walkthroughs on the regular. No rhyme or reason, as I went to a really small school and there was never an problems/issues that required this amount of attention.

The school eventually added security cameras all over campus, the reason being...and I kid you not..."to stop terrorism".

Now, that seems like a nice gesture, until everyone realized the only people getting in trouble were kids in the parking lot smoking cigarettes. Which carried a hefty fine, something like 25 dollars per cigarette left in the pack. It didn't take long for a lot of students to realize this was the real reason for the cameras and dogs.

I imagine the dogs in this case would be used along the same lines. People will be told it's for such and such event(s), but in reality it's just another measure being employed that will be used to control people/students.

Just my two cents, having dealt with this sort of tactic first hand. I'm all for the cameras in schools, as long as they can justify using them.

reply to post by g146541


Here in Las Vegas, or more importantly Clark County we have Clark County School Police at every school, and they almost always have K9 units at the schools as well. It was never an issue growing up and going from elementary - high school.

JayinAR
Just more nanny state Gestapo stuff.
You don't need teachers to protect their schools. You need cops with menacing canines.

I don't think dogs in schools is a good idea. Even well trained dogs sometime bite people.
Imagine a 6 year old first grader bit in the face by a German Shepard.

The lawyers will send out preemptive letters to all the parents just waiting for such an event.

I think arming certain qualified teacher and staff is the way to go. Then you run the risk of a group of young thugs overpowering a teacher taking her gun and offing their enemies. Even in mid school their are some badass gangs. Not to mention some stressed out teacher going postal and killing the administration.

I don't know what good this would really do but, on the plus side that dog would not accidently be shooting the wrong people in the middle of a chaotic situation like some scared teacher would. Lets face it unless your going to put in a highly trained SWAT team in every school the idea that you can protect students from a gun man is just foolish.

I think the whole damn scenario is asinine (cameras, etc. to maintain order) and here is why: before about 150 years ago our kids weren't being grouped in together with other kids of the same age. Behavior-wise, kids always learn by those older than them and it's usually their instinct to look up to older kids, even adults, to try to be more like them. What do kids learn from kids their own age? How to lie, cheat, steal and act childish? Great idea. It creates a sort of Lord of the Flies scenario which brings out the worst in them as they compete against each other to act smarter instead of being smarter. Putting more tough regulations, cameras and even watchdogs on them will only tighten their bond as a group (in that Us Vs. Them mentality) and further escalate the mentality. At best, it may crush their spirit and cause them to abandon their own self-worth and just become mindless zombies (another dark side to the education system, as it tries to subvert children into being mindless, obedient work slaves and tax-paying consumers.)

In my view, the education system is wrong by its very conception. I do believe in education, but in my view modern education needs go back to the drawing board and completely re-imagine its purpose. Currently, it's little more than part babysitting service and part public indoctrination center, forcing kids of the same age together, thus encouraging bad behavior from them, while demanding that they behave. It's all wrong.

In the 90's, when I was in high school, frequent dog searches were the norm. Unfortunately for us, it meant the risk of being thrown out of school and possibly put in jail for having contraband on school property. It wasn't a large deterrent because the school had multiple cases of drug use and sales. Just the nature of the modern beast, I suppose. Kids partied then and they party now. There is just more money to be made from the criminal/law business these days.

Having a dog around is not necessarily a smart idea. The schools need support from the community and from local people to protect them while not turning it into a prison. Using local veterans as "watchmen" and compensating them for their efforts would probably be a better solution. Plus they could dress comfortably and use their knowledge about security and self-defense to keep potential harm at bay. Giving them employment also.

Or do they want the schools to look like prisons?

reply to post by LoneCloudHopper2


You drive an excellent point about putting children in age groups.
Older children could call BS where and when they see it, this could be one of the contributing factors in some of the probs we see today.

I am a School Resource Officer at a high school and I do not support K9's being stationed in or being randomly used in schools for searches.

The school board in my county mirrors my opinion and therefore we do no such thing.

I believe a poster above said it, "indoctrination."

Just like suspending students for biting pop tarts in to the shape of a gun. It is conditioning and I don't like or support it.

reply to post by g146541


it's conditioning/indoctrination

school: ever noticed how the school bully never gets punished?
but if you defend yourself you are?

real life: school bully is now a police man...
same as above.

UK version:
Police using tasers on children as young as 11 almost every day www.express.co.uk...

Related News:
Police perform “simulated drug raid” on 5th graders; child attacked by police dog www.policestateusa.com...