Pubdate: Fri, 02 Jun 2000
Source: Press, The (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2000 The Christchurch Press Company Ltd.
Contact:  Private Bag 4722, Christchurch, New Zealand
Fax: +64-3-364-8238
Website: http://www.press.co.nz/
Author: Kelly Andrew

MCCLAY SUPPORTS INTRODUCTION OF SCHOOL RANDOM DRUG TESTS

A proposal by St Andrew's College to introduce random drug-testing of
students caught using drugs is supported by the Commissioner for Children,
Roger McClay.

The school's rector, Barry Maister, said last week that rather than expel
students caught using illicit drugs he wanted to offer professional
assessment and treatment. That would be followed by a regime of random
drug-testing for the following two years to allow students to return to
school.

Mr McClay said such a policy was much better than expelling students.

However, he said anyone considering such schemes had to be mindful of the
children's rights and privacy. "I think young people also have a right to
expect that someone will take a positive step to ensure that the rest of
their life is OK."

He said if more money was invested in treatment programmes, there were many
organisations and people available to run them.

The St Andrew's College student whose drinking of alcohol led to the school
giving up first place from the first night of the 91ZM Smokefree Stage
Challenge this week has been suspended.

Mr Maister chose to return the team's trophy because the student had
breached the smokefree conditions of the secondary schools contest by
drinking alcohol.

He said reaction to the decision from parents and other schools had been
"marvellous and really heartening".

The St Andrew's team dropped from first place to third. The Press
understands the male student has been permanently suspended from the
school's boarding house, and suspended from the school subject to an
internal review.
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