Pubdate: Sun, 03 Jun 2001
Source: Sunday Star-Times (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2001 Sunday Star-Times
Contact:  http://www.starnewspapers.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1064
Author: Rachell Grunwell

SHORE GIRL EXPELLED FOR SMOKING POT

A 15-year-old with minor intellectual disabilities has been expelled from 
school for smoking cannabis.

But two other students from the North Shore, Auckland, school caught 
smoking cannabis on the same day in a different incident have been reinstated.

Northcote College student Siliato Soagia was spotted smoking cannabis at 
Highpoint Shopping Centre in Birkenhead in March. Although it was his first 
offence, he has been denied re-entry into the school which has a one strike 
and you're out drugs policy for senior students. Soagia's lawyer, Patrick 
Walsh, will file papers in the High Court at Auckland this week to fight 
the decision.

Soagia, who was given the cannabis by older friends, has sent a letter to 
the school asking for a second chance. "I said I'm sorry, I won't do it 
again and will you please let me back into school." He has been at home 
since March.

His mother, Sitaua, said it was difficult to find another school for her 
son because he was in a special needs class.

Principal Ted Benton said the two other students allowed back to school 
were younger than Soagia. The school's board of trustees took a hard line 
with students aged over 15. "The older students rarely get a second chance. 
We would expect fifth formers to know what's going to happen," he said.