Kaneland debates pet policy for school campuses

Dog in your purse? Bad idea. But dog at a track meet? Maybe.

The Kaneland School Board is working on a comprehensive policy for pets on school campuses.

The district has had problems with pets on campuses, such as when parents walk their children to school with a dog, Superintendent Charles McCormick told the school board last week. Dogs have nipped at children or gotten into fights at outdoor events, he said.

Some people have even walked into the school office with a small dog in their bag, he said.

"The issue of pets in the school is a simple one," McCormick said. "Unless it's for a pre-determined educational purpose or a service animal, it shouldn't be in there."

More of a gray area, though, is at outdoor sporting events, or at community events held at the schools, such as Sugar Grove's Corn Boil.

Several board members asked how such a policy about not having pets on campus would be enforced.

"I'm not interested in becoming the pet police," board member Cheryl Krauspe said.

Board member Bob Myers suggested that a no pets policy could be time and date specific. For example, pets could not be allowed on campus when students are entering and leaving the building.

Complicating the issue is that some public walking paths enter school property.

Administrators plan to bring a new policy for the school board to vote on at a future meeting.