Pubdate: Wed, 06 Feb 2002
Source: Times, The (UK)
Copyright: 2002 Times Newspapers Ltd
Contact:  http://www.the-times.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/454
Author: Gillian Harris (Scotland Correspondent)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)

THREE BOYS EXPELLED BY FETTES OVER DRUGS

THREE pupils have been expelled from Fettes College in Edinburgh for taking 
drugs.

The sixth-form boys were asked to leave the independent school, where Tony 
Blair was a pupil, after two separate incidents in the same week.

A spokesman for the school confirmed that two boys were found with cannabis 
at a sixth-form party last Saturday and that another, aged 17, had failed a 
drugs test after a business studies trip to Belgium.

Michael Spens, the headmaster, said that school regulations on the issue of 
drug misuse were widely understood. "These pupils have been very foolish 
and they have been punished. For them this is a personal tragedy," he said.

"The school line is very clear. . . If a pupil is found with drugs they can 
be told to leave the school and if there is any question of doubt they are 
asked to take a drugs test."

Mr Spens insisted that drug-taking at the school, which costs up to 
UKP17,000 a year for full boarding pupils, was not a serious problem.

A spokesman for the school denied that Fettes would now follow the example 
of Edinburgh Academy by introducing random drugs tests. The academy last 
week asked the parents of a number of pupils aged 14 who had admitted 
taking cannabis to pay UKP50 for future drug tests.
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MAP posted-by: Beth