Pubdate: Wed, 29 Mar 2000
Source: Ballarat Courier (Australia)
Copyright: 2000 Rural Press Ltd.
Contact:  
Fax: (03) 5333 1651
Address: 110 Creswick Road, Ballarat
Website: http://www.thecourier.com.au/thecourier/
Author: Paul Nolan

COLLEGE LOOKS AT DRUG TESTS

STUDENTS at Wesley College's Clunes campus could be subject to random drug
testing in the near future.

The school yesterday confirmed it was considering implementing the use of
blood and/or urine testing in a bid to identify student drug users.

Clunes campus director Rob Marshall said the school saw the issue not as a
criminal matter but as a health concern.

"We have a moral and legal obligation to provide a unquestionable standard
of health and care for our students," Mr Marshall said.

"And because of our presence in a small town we also have an obligation to
ensure students don't interfere with the community structure with illegal
behaviour."

Mr Marshall said there were 84 students boarding at the campus this term,
with that number expected to jump to 91 after Easter.

He said the school was investigating the possibility of drug testing as "a
last resort".

He said he hoped drug testing would never be needed at the Clunes campus.

Wesley College's stance follows this week's announcement by Melbourne
Grammar it would be conducting regular urine tests on students who have been
caught using illicit drugs.

While Wesley College is now likely to follow Melbourne Grammar, other
Ballarat private school principals were critical of the move.

Ballarat Grammar School principal Stephen Higgs was the most outspoken of
the local leaders, claiming Melbourne Grammar's stance would erode
student-teacher relationships.

"That is basically saying they don't trust students and here we prefer to
work on a trust basis," Mr Higgs said.

"We have here a real atmosphere of cooporation between staff and students
and that sort of drug testing would risk ruining that atmosphere."

While accepting a drug problem did exist in Ballarat schools, Mr Higgs said
it was not as serious as in Melbourne and therefore did not require the same
dramatic measures.

"We don't have the same party culture with our students here, and I think
the party culture in Melbourne contributes a lot to the drug situation," he
said.

"We wouldn't consider the notion of blood testing or urine testing or any
sort of drug testing on our students."

Loreto College principal Anne Fry echoed those sentiments, saying her school
preferred addressing the drug problem through structured education.

"It is an interesting strategy employed by Melbourne Grammar but we
certainly haven't contemplated implementing it here," Ms Fry said.

"We are more interested in following the strategies of the Health Department
and focussing on drug education."

Damascus College principal John Shannon said his school would avoid drug
testing.

"We certainly don't have any intention of conducting drug testing in the
foreseeable future," Mr Shannon said.
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