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Outrage Over Bais Rivkah Drug-Sniffing Dog

Parents of Bais Rivkah High School students were outraged after learning that a drug-sniffing dog had been brought on to the coach bus taking the students to their annual Shabbaton in the Catskills.

Following last year’s Shabbaton, a number of students were reportedly expelled from the school for brining controlled substances with them on the trip.

Prior to this year’s Shabbaton, a Whatsapp message had been circulating among the students saying that drugs, alcohol or cigarettes would not be tolerated, and that a drug-sniffing dog would be brought on the bus before the trip (see message below).

This Whatsapp message prompted a strong response from the school’s director, Mrs. Teichtel, who said that the message did not come from anyone in the school’s faculty (audio below).

Nevertheless, when the bus prepared to depart today, an armed security guard came onto the bus with a drug-sniffing dog, warning the students not to try to pet it as “he might bite,” and walked through the aisle to the back of the bus, prompting outrage from students and their parents.

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65 Comments

  • Andrea Schonberger

    Better safe than sorry. It would be awful for even just one student to spoil the trip for the rest.

  • Not outraged

    As a parent I am not outraged in the least bit. Better to be safe than sorry. I would be outraged if my daughter was exposed to drugs or cigarettes while on shabbaton.

  • Ch’er

    If there is an issue with any kind of substance. Then yes, there should be those options such as Sniffing Dogs. Why are parents upset. They should be delighted that the school is protecting their child. Unless it’s those parents that worry their child may be caught.

    Enjoy the trip make the most of the Shabbaton. Be safe

  • Ch’er

    In addition………..

    1) the school was extremely thoughtful to have a Jewish Frum man enter the bus. And not some Chalera Politzeh.
    2) seems from the video the girls got a kick out of it.

    Why are some bent out of shape from this. Take a chill pill.

  • A Young Dad

    Not sure why parents are upset.

    Do you want your daughter to take drugs on the trip?

    It’s very unfortunate that we are holding at this level.

    But experience proves that we need to be worried about this.

    I support the school decision.

    I wish they didn’t have to be concern about this.

  • BR parent

    Fake news!!

    I’m a BR parent and the only outrage here is at he girls last year who brought that stuff on the trip.

  • Yossi A

    WHAT!!!!
    OUTRAGE!!!!
    The parents should thank the school.
    YES it’s very unfortunate that BR came to such a piont….

  • T greenbaum

    Obviously the dogs were needed, good for Bais Rivka for doing what needed to be done

  • Y L

    1st of all parents and students should be happy that the school brought a dog and finally stopped turning a bind eye to horific drug use.
    2nd that would be a great colorwar breakout

  • Shocked but not surprised

    If students were expelled last year, how come no one knew? And despite Morah Tiechtel’s protestations that the message didn’t come from the school… well, it may not be on the school’s server, but the fact that the dog actually went on the bus says it was official.

    Did it sniff in the luggage compartment? And moreover… did it find anything?

  • Emotional Immaturity.

    If your kid doesn’t have drugs etc, why be outraged that the school is trying to protect her from influence of these substances. If your kid does have any of these substances, why the outrage if the school is doing what is right for their other students by not wanting to contaminate their program. Drugs, alcohol, etc are generally banned from all schools, Jewish or not. So BRHS took action to promote this “No Drug Zone”. Outrage? That’s so illogical. Pretty petty. Immature. Come on ppl, use your smarts.

  • Not kosher

    I am shocked that one of our Lubavitch mosdos chose to use a non kosher animal for this!! Can we not train a sheep or a goat to sniff out drugs? Please keep this tumah away from our precious children :(

  • 49 yr in the hood

    Very Smart Very good idea
    The only ones who Can Be Upset Are the trouble makers Who ruin it for All And cause A big chillul LUBAVITCH

    • BR Parent

      Wake up and smell the coffee…. Better yet, Kol Hakavod to BR for opening their eyes, rather than shoving it under the carpet like the rest of the frum world…

    • BR Parent

      Kol Hakavod BR for opening your eyes to reality, while the rest of the frum world shoves it all under the carpet…

  • Make it real

    It’s about time school deals with the real issues, so many girls have a really hard time. Learning, were abused sexually, I know the faculty works hard nonetheless it’s high time to start having real love for our fellow Jews and help people with out judgement

  • Uncle Mendel

    What were they outraged about? That controlled substances may be brought by girls on the Shabbaton AGAIN??

  • Nechama

    Better safe than sorry. But I have a better question. Bais Rivkah sent out letters saying that cellphones would not be allowed on the Shabbaton. The parents who allowed the girls to take their cellphones, as evidenced by this video, show little regard for the schools attempts to educate their daughters. And it’s exactly that type of lax attitude towards chinuch that causes the parents to be upset in this case too. Parents aren’t doing their job, guess it’s time for schools to lay down the law.

  • Chiam

    It’s not right to bring a Tumadik animal on the bus They should’ve brought a sheep Rather

    • U make me laugh

      Bahahahahahah when the drugs and illegal, dangerous substances will have a hechsher, then we will worry about kosher drug sniffing animals….stop being klein kepeldik

    • Uncle Mendel

      I heard they are in the process of training a turkey to sniff out drugs and other stuff (ing) that might be contraband. But the training seems to be doing no good, other than irritating the turkey.

  • to #13

    are you normal ?. thank br for watching over your daughter. if not your daughter might get into the wrong stuff
    kosher animal? so go train one

  • Yitzchok

    Mrs. Teichtel made it very clear that this was not from BR. Perhaps it was some parent(s) who arranged this.

  • ahavasyisroel

    If TSA did this to you at the airport, you would be screaming “how dare they do this to us? Do they really think we are crazy Islamic terrorists??? Go after the terrorists!!!!”

    But they did it to Beis Rivka girls so it is OK.

    • TSA?

      Yhh TSA does do this! I got to the airport 2 1/2 hours early and still nearly missed my flight this past August because of TSA’s extensive search.
      I was not outraged. This is galus 5778. Deal with it.

  • shlomo

    the question to all hypocritical commentators. When your son wants grass at night or something stronger. Where is he going? where is the safest place to buy drugs in our CH???

  • Very sad

    Not outraged, just shocked and sad. Time for a good “tap in pekel” Chassidishe cheshbon hanefesh to discover why our children need “controlled ” or “uncontrolled” substances to get a high, or to drown out confusion, fear and depression. This is a true wake-up call. Let’s not keep sleeping on this one. Too scary.
    Umesaymim b’tov
    MOSHIACH NOW!!!!

  • Normal

    They outrage should be that you have gotten to this stage and your kids are doing drugs and giving it to their friends. Those doing drugs are already a bit rebellious and some will be addicts etc. Don’t do drugs kids,

  • Lawrence

    You guys in CH really have a death wish
    No one outside the very closest of the Hanhallah need know
    If it is a problem let it be dealt with in a Tznious way
    Help and counselling
    Kids ought not to require chemical prophylactics unless mandated by medical issues then the New York 2014 Act kicks in
    Trust our kids show them respect
    The Principal really lacks Judgment and the Board rightly owes it to everyone to seriously question her
    G-D protects us all. Where oh where have we descended to?
    Thank the L-D Neil Gorsuch got confirmed; the future looks bright

  • Proud father

    As a proud parent of my daughters in BR, I’m very happy BR did what is needed to do. My daughter had no issue having a dog come on her bus, and we all agreed that it’s necessary to do whatever it takes to make sure nothing bad happens on the trip.
    Thank you BR. You did the right thing. Nothing to be embarrassed about.

  • please

    no outrage. 98% of parents happy about the actions of BR. the few who are not obviously are afraid that it is their own kids who will be caught

  • Lawrence

    I am deeply grateful to Crownheights.info for publishing my comment
    I wrote similar vein to another site and as usual it was censored basically rejected not published
    Exactly my point
    Unless we fit mold views are rejected
    Fine, views ; but reject people ; kids, honestly is that to where we in Lubavitch have sunk?

  • Who says it's a sniffing dog

    Who says it was a real sniffing dog maybe it was a fake dog that just was there to scare the kids not to bring stuff on the shabaton
    When was the last time u saw a frum guy with a sniffing dog l…
    it had no signs 5hat say service dog on it…
    Most sniffing dogs won’t bite if pet..

  • the emmes man

    no drugs on the shabbaton , however during and after school it is permitted, this problem is everywhere in all communities ,try to teach the correct and proper way and hope for the best,do you blame the children of our community for behaving like this ,from whom should they take an example ,from our leaders ,look at their despicable behavior ,no wonder the kids are leaving in groves.

  • The kangeroo

    New parnosa for the hood.Educating dogs for drug sniffing and selling kosher marijana cookies.

  • Rifka

    1. For all this who commented about a treife animal being used. Hellooo the Rebbe had a guard dog at some point. Nope sheep nor goats would qualify speak to G-d if you have an issue.

    2. It’s sad but a fact of life this is today’s reality and we better come to grips with it if we want children to survive both bruchnius and bgashmius.

  • Crown Heights Resident

    What about the girls who need to use controlled substances for Medical reasons.

    For Example: Ritalin for attention deficit disorder (to help them concentrate).

  • Avi

    The issue I see here is there was no muzzle on the dog. A dog owner entering a bus full of children, and warms the children that the dog could bite……SHOULD BE MUZZLED. Also the dog was not handled professionally by the handler. next time use a reputable company.