4 OPINION Page 4 Monday, September 16, 1985 The Michigan Daily Edited and managed by students at The University of Michigan Couzens:Where's the brew? Vol XCVI, No.8 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 Editorials represent a majority opinion of the Daily's Editorial Board Kidnapped! T HE RECENT kidnapping of El Salvadoran President Jose Napoleon Duarte's daughter un- derscores the frightening circle of violence that has plagued the Cen- tral American country for much of the last decade. Ines Duarte de Navas was kid- napped from the campus of Nueva San Salvador University on Tuesday, as she arrived for her classes there. Two of her bodyguards were shot and killed in the attack, and another woman was also taken. So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping. Duarte's political enemies or so- called "allies" might conceivably have committed the action. On the left, Salvadoran rebels have been waging a bloody civil war that has claimed countless lives in the past five years. Those rebels claim that Duarte, a former rebel himself, has sold out to a bompromise government that allows El Salvador's traditional ruling families to remain powerful.. On the right, critics of Duarte such as Roberto D'Aubisson, his thief opposition in last year's elec- tions, see him as a threat to their traditional power. In addition, right wing death squads working to quell support for the rebels have long used abduction and assassination as a means of terrorizing the populace and discrediting the rebels. So Duarte is caught between the warring factions in the middle of the violence all around him. Nor is le free of guilt himself. A recent report issued by Americas Watch, non-partisan human rights organization, documents Duarte's government as continuing to violate human rights. There have been some im- provements according to the report. Where in the early 1980s it seemed the government was systematically assassinating its opposition, it has cut back con- siderably now. However, at the same time, the rebels have begun to use terror tactics with greater frequency. Last summer, left wing rebels claimed responsibility for the killings of four off duty American marines. Violence continues to be a political tool on all fronts, as Ines Duarte's kidnapping clearly illustrates. Nevertheless, there does seem to be hope that the coun- try may slowly work itself out of its cycle of killings. In the year and a half since he was elected, Duarte has gradually widened his political base. In elec- tions held since the presidential election in June of 1984, Duarte supporters have won by in- creasingly wider margins. The report that government human rights violations are decreasing is an encouraging sign, while the simultaneous news that the rebel violations have worsened suggests that they have grown more desperate. Although there is no end in sight for El Salvador's troubles, Duarte now seems the man most likely to lead his country away from the un- ceasing bloodshed. His daughter's kidnapping, sadly, is an aching reminder of how far the country still has to go. By Marc Carrel Drinking. Partying. Both of these words are often brought up when talking about the "college atmosphere." At the University of Michigan, things may be a bit different; especially after a meeting of the University housing authorities where they have agreed to discuss the question of alcohol in the dor- ms. Enforcement of the Michigan 21-year old drinking age may soon be a consistent policy campus-wide. It is true that over the past several years residence halls have become stricter about the law, yet this year the bottom may fall out. This may be due indirectly to Jerral Jackson, the new building director of Couzens Hall, who has instituted a strict enforcement of the drinking law in his dorm. Jackson is not new to Michigan, where he was an undergraduate, nor is he a newcomer to directing a university residence hall. Jackson was a building director of two halls at Eastern Michigan University where, he says, he "fueled them down." Hisstrict enforcement of an alcohol policy there, raised the grade point average of the students in a coed dorm, termed the "Animal House" of campus, to a 3.0, just a year and a half after he arrived. But that fact does not change the way he began things at Couzens this year. The way he has done things has caused as much anger among Couzens residents as the Carrel, a Couzens resident, is a Fresh- man in LSA. things he has done. Memos had been placed. in mailboxes which (1) stated the policy of no kegs allowed in the dorm, and (2) labeled the dorms quiet hours as 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. Both of these issues caused the formation of a forum between Jackson and Couzens residents. This past Wednesday, when the forum was held, tensions were high, but Jackson did not rattle. Answering people's accusations that he was taking the blame off himself when the residents went to other dorms to drink, Jackson agreed that they would. He said though, that it was not the reason for implementing such a strict enforcement of the policy. He stated he is acting in this way because he was hired to do a job and he is going to do it. Jackson apologized for not informing the students as to why he instituted the dorm quiet hours without their input. He said that quiet hours would be voted upon in three weeks after people form their own habits of studying and socializing. Residents of Couzens reacting to the policy stated that if they had known it was to be a "dry dorm" they would not have signed leases. Others argued that all the enfor- cement will do is breed secret parties behind closed doors, while one resident said that it is an inconsistent policy of the University of Michigan. It is. I have been to several parties in only my first two weeks here at Michigan, all with hoards of people, and all with kegs. At a Markley party, security took the kegs away, at West Quad and Alice Lloyd they did not even get involved. This inconsistency is definitely dangerous. As a resident of Couzens; if I wish to attend a party, I will have to look outside of my dorm. Attending a party across campus has many ramifications. One is being injured or worse through a car accident, nor can sexual assault be ruled out. Granted these are extreme possibilities, but the chance still exists. I respect Jerral Jackson and his policy, just as I respect the fact that I am under the drinking age. But respect does not curb irresponsible drinking. Maturity does. If there is going to be a policy held by the University, it should be a unilateral policy en- forced equally throughout the campus. Either all dorms should be lenient, or all should be tough. Anywhere in the middle, and we will still have chaos, or at least the possibility of chaos. When this meeting takes place on Wed- nesday, you can be sure that there will be many watching the outcome. Jerral Jackson, in explaining how he will be enforcing the policy said "If you act in a responsible fashion,syou probably won't have a problem.. Acting responsibly of the whole person; academically, morally, socially." Jackson said the reaction so far of Couzens residents is similar to the reaction of his residents at Eastern Michigan. Referring to Couzens residents at the forum this past Wed- nesday, "It's something to think about, we've brought them together; whether they want to admit it or not..." Yes. It surely is something to think about. i Chas Sy Comf W PL fRs , DkSTARDff D I'LL DN i P[EnSE pAN, GLUT NOT TH I !!' 1 ir n 4, 1 I ,ry,4 O~ llL 14 4e N izo ~ U ' V Dashed Hopes sfy T HE HUNDREDS of posters plastered around campus and distributed throughout the com- munity pleading for leads to Shawn Moore or his assailant now sym- bolize only dashed hopes. The naked body of Shawn Moore, Who had been missing since August 31, has been found and identified, and a suspect has been taken into custody. There is no adequate consolation for the anguished parents of Shawn, and no means of explaining his violent death. Heartening, however, is the dilligence with which the com- munity participated in the search for Shawn and his abductor. It is unfortunate that such a tragedy must occur to heighten awareness of the constant threat of violence to our community and children. From this tragic lesson let the community be reminded that constant concern for our neighbors might help prevent such losses. Student searches intrusive' By John Ross When America's 40 million school kids go back to class this fall, they might do well to bring along lawyers. Last January, the Supreme Court approved searching of students provided there is "reasonable suspicion" that the search will yield evidence of a violation of the law or school rules. The decision, which stem- med from a New Jersey case known as "TLO" in which a student's handbag was searched and marijuana found, was the first time the high court had sought to clearly define a school official's authority to conduct searches. But American Civil Liberties Union attorneys around the coun- try say "TLO" seems to have opened the way for more abuses instead. They say the standard of "reasonable suspicion" is much broader than the "probable cause" demanded in searches of adults. And Norma Rollins, who heads an ACLU task force on juvenile Fourth Amendment rights, charges that school ad- ministrators bend the definition of "reasonable suspicion" to their own ends. Last February, an Elyria, Ohio gym teacher strip searched 20 the "TLO" decision, reasonable suspicion must be assigned to specific persons, asserts Harvey Gitler of Ohio's ACLU. Searching an entire class with no real suspect "was an unconstitutional invasion of these girls' privacies," Gitler says, adding, "They were forced to expose themselves after the teacher threatened to call the sheriff." Soon after the Ohio incident came reports that a female prin- cipal in Duchess County, New York routinely searched sixth grade boys, forcing them to remove their sweaters and shoes. Similar searches by teachers and principals had long been a prac- tice in that rural district, and one high school principal claimed a 50 percent "find" rate, usually un- covering cigarettes, according to Linda Lloyd who speaks for a parents group opposed to the searches. Three candidates backed by Lloyd's group were recently elected to the local school board. Parents' opposition to school searches is coming from other, sometimes surprising, quarters. Last May in Plymouth, Connec- ticut, high school seniors on an annual outing were made to strip to their shorts in an effort to locate a suspected bottle of beer. Several of the students com- plained to their police officer fathers and one officer filed a complaint against the principal. Whatever its shortcomings, "TLO" has been strongly endor- sed as a key to safe schools by American Federation of Teachers leader Albert Shanker. But his organization com- plained loudly when, in late August, a Milford, Connecticut school board member proposed searching teachers and students alike. "Students surrender some of their rights in school situations for greater safety. It's like going to the airport," protested AFT national spokesperson Ruth Whitman. Searching and seizing will not be the only constitutional issues tested in the schools this fall. In East Rutherford, New Jer- sey, school superintendent Al Marbaise is pushing hard to drug test high school students. Despite a temporary restraining order obtained by the local ACLU, Marbaise claims national sup- port for his program. "Why is it more intrusive to test kids for drugs than it is for sugar diabetes?" argues Mar- baise. Under his program, failure to submit to the proposed drug tests could mean exclusion from school. On still another legal front in- volving student surveillance, ACLU attorneys in San Diego are currently trying to enjoin the city's school administration and police department from "con- tributing to the delinquency of minors" by conducting extensive undercover investigations in several high schools. Over the past two years hun- dreds of San Diego teenagers have been arrested on drug charges after youthful looking of- ficers infiltrated classrooms at four schools, often without the knowledge of teachers and prin- cipals. Such investigations, a popular practice in California as well as East Coast high schools, generally involve police cadets, fresh from the academy, with lit- tle experience in collecting evidence. "In San Diego, they would hang out with the 'stoners,"' says Greg Marshall, the ACLU attorney seeking the injunction. "They'd make friends and urge the students to bring them small quantities of drugs. They've encouraged kids to cut class. We know of one case where the officer was dating one of the students." by Berke Breathed 04 BLOOM COUNTY 1! ! l . mh d _d