Dogs to Sniff Newport-Mesa School Campuses for Drugs : Education: Costa Mesa and Newport Beach police animal handlers will check lockers and autos. Trustees also went on record to oppose Proposition 187.

A policy to use drug-sniffing dogs at all high school and middle school campuses was adopted Monday on a 5-2 vote in a special meeting of the Newport-Mesa Unified School District board.

And by the same ratio, the board passed a resolution opposing Proposition 187, the state ballot initiative that would deny state welfare, education and non-emergency medical care services to illegal immigrants.

Board President Edward H. Decker said the move to bring dogs to the schools “will, hopefully, keep drugs off the campuses. We do have drugs in the community. We have to take action so that the 99.9% of the students who wish the campuses to remain drug free can be confident of that.”

Board members Sherry Loofbourrow and Martha Fluor steadfastly opposed the policy from its inception, noting the use of dogs could create a climate of suspicion at the schools and the policy fails to address the primary substance-abuse problems among teen-agers: alcohol and tobacco.

“I absolutely believe in holding students accountable, but not in ending the message that everyone is suspected of wrongdoing,” Loofbourrow said.

The plan developed from an offer by the Costa Mesa Police Department to provide the dogs on campuses in that city.

Monday’s meeting came on the eve of an election that will see at least three new trustees on the seven-member board. Loofbourrow and Forrest K. Werner decided early on not to run again and 28-year veteran Roderick H. MacMillian dropped out of the race mid-campaign, citing a heart problem.

The plan will take effect in the spring semester. The board will evaluate the program at the end of the school year before deciding whether to make it permanent.

During the spring, Costa Mesa and Newport Beach police dog handlers will bring the animals onto each high school and middle school campus once to sniff for drugs that may be hidden in lockers and autos on campus.

If drugs are found, students will be disciplined and offered counseling through school district programs rather than arrested, unless the quantity is in for-sale quantities.

The board also voted to oppose Proposition 187, the so-called “Save Our State” initiative.

Fluor said the ballot initiative would fragment families and put an unreasonable burden on district employees.

“It is forcing our teachers to go above and beyond their duty, which is to educate our children and provide role models. It forces them to be reporting agents,” she said.

Loofbourrow also opposed Proposition 187, saying the district stands to lose $2.5 million in the next school year alone, counting the lost federal funds and the cost of student verification.

Board members Jim de Boom and Judith A. Franco said they will vote for the initiative and voted against the district’s resolution.

“I believe that we are a nation of laws, and yet nearly 2 million illegal immigrants live in California. Every year another 100,000 come,” Franco said.

Franco said 93% of the cost of these immigrants falls to legal residents.

De Boom said the measure would force the federal government’s hand at controlling the borders.

“The one thing that 187 has done so far is to get the federal government to at least make an effort at closing the borders,” he said.