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Trustees split on canine detection visits; item tabled pending data
Summary
Trustees divided over a proposed contract for canine detection visits at Clifton Middle and Monrovia High; board requested two years of visit data, findings, and triggers after members raised equity and effectiveness concerns.
The Monrovia Unified Board of Education deferred a proposed agreement with InterQuest Detection Canines after a pointed debate over equity, effectiveness and the district’s role in student supports.
Dr. Zamarripa described the proposed 2026–27 visits as a tool to deter and identify prohibited items on campus. “These teams work to deter and identify prohibited or dangerous items on campus,” she said. The item had been pulled from the consent agenda for separate discussion.
Board members voiced sharply different views. One trustee asked whether detection dogs actually reduce harm and urged greater investment in restorative approaches and counseling. “The solutions that are most effective center restorative justice, development of relationships and trust between a student and a counselor,” a board member said during the public debate.
Another trustee raised concerns about how teams determine which classrooms to search and whether the visits disproportionately target particular student populations; staff were asked to clarify the program’s triggers and mapping procedures. A board member requested clarification on whether dogs had visited particular classrooms and what criteria guided those choices.
After discussion, a motion produced a split vote and the board agreed to bring the item back at a future meeting. Trustees requested two years of data about prior K‑9 visits and any findings, plus outcomes of those incidents, before reconsidering the contract. The board also asked staff to describe alternatives or complementary interventions, such as therapy dogs, restorative programs, and counseling supports.
No contract was approved at Thursday’s meeting; the item will return with the requested data and a staff presentation.
