Mineola ISD resource officer Cody Castleberry will be pursing a grant for a canine for school use. The goal is to implement the program at little to no cost to the district.

The grant will cover obtaining the dog and training for the dog and handler. Veterinarian services will also donated at a free or discounted rate. 

The only foreseeable cost is lodging for dog handler,while at training.

The kid-oriented dog would be trained to detect marijuana, gun powder and nicotine products including vapes.

“Our kids face challenges that didn’t exist when we were in school,” said Castleberry. Vaping has become a serious issue and it’s easy to conceal vaping devices.

According to the Texas Education Agency, over 330,000 middle and high school students reported vaping in 2018. This represents 13% of Texas students in grades 6-12. Overall, youth use of vaping has more than quadrupled from 3% in 2012 to 13% in 2018 (Texas Youth Tobacco Survey, 2018).

In addition to cancer-causing chemicals, e-cigarettes contain nicotine, a highly addictive substance that can be harmful to young brains.

Castleberry says that adding a canne unit to the school would be effective in deterring students from bringing the contraband.

He stated that MISD has some of the stiffest punishments in the county for possession of prohibited items on campus. Students spend five days in ISS (in-school suspension) for the first offense, and are sent to DAEP (alternative education placement) for the second offense.