By CATHY ARONSON
CAMBRIDGE - Cambridge High School has continued its hard-nosed approach to cannabis despite criticism from drug educators that the stance creates problems.
The school excluded eight pupils, aged between 13 and 14, in June for first-time offences ranging from cannabis possession to supply.
Pupils under 16 are excluded, rather than expelled, to represent their right to an education. Principal Alison Annan said the school had a zero tolerance towards drug use.
The school is well known for its tough stance and in 1996 it came under attack from parents of 14 students, aged 12 to 15 years, who were suspended indefinitely for drug use.
A leading drug educator, Youth Trust chairman Jeff McIntyre, said Cambridge High School's tough stance did little more than divert the problem and create bigger ones.
Mr McIntyre said schools should look at drug assessment programmes rather than immediate suspension or expulsion.
Since Mr McIntyre's first drugs in schools workshop at the New Zealand School Trustees Association annual conference last year, 30 high schools have considered or formally adopted new drug policies, with positive results.
The extreme example is what Mr McIntyre calls the "cohesive approach," where students are suspended but then allowed back to school if urine tests show they are drug free and they agree to random drug tests.
Mr McIntyre said the approach also allows drug educators to help students to understand their drug problem.
Mrs Annan said schools did not have the expertise or funding to conduct drug diversion programmes and said it was a community responsibility.
"It diverts from the main task of education. We provide drug education, which works for the majority of our students, who manage to abide by our rules."
She said her school does not have a drug problem and it is not the main reason for exclusion.
Mr McIntyre said schools are part of the community. He said it may appear that other students learn from the tough stance but really they just become better at hiding their drug use.
But Mrs Annan and Mr McIntyre both believe softened cannabis laws will send the wrong message to students and create a bigger problem with drug use in schools.
"We are being sent a mixed message. One minute we are being told that in the knowledge economy our brain will get us places and at the same time the Government is contemplating softening the laws. Cannabis and education don't go together," said Mrs Annan.
Their view joins that of the school trustees association, which has sent petitions against decriminalisation to all school boards of trustees.
Cambridge school's zero drugs tolerance criticised
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