Pubdate: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 Source: Daily Telegraph (UK) Copyright: 2008 Telegraph Group Limited Contact: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/114 Author: Rosa Prince, Political Correspondent TEACHERS TO GET POWERS TO SEARCH PUPILS FOR DRUGS AND ALCOHOL Teachers will be given powers to search pupils for drugs and alcohol as part of a new drive to restore discipline in schools. School staff will also be able to check pupils for cigarettes and stolen property, as well as alcohol and drugs - and parents will be informed of the results in mobile phone text messages and emails. A Government-commissioned report by Sir Alan Steer, recommends extending existing powers to search young people for weapons to cover other items which should not be brought into the classroom. Welcoming the report, Ed Balls, the Children's Secretary, said: "I want to build on the powers we have already given teachers following Sir Alan's earlier recommendations on searching for weapons by extending these to cover drugs, alcohol and other inappropriate items. "It will ensure that everyone knows that a teacher's authority in the classroom is unquestionable and teachers are clear about their right to use them." Schools are already allowed to search pupils for knives and other weapons, and head teachers are able to apply for funds from their local authority to buy technology such as arch and wand metal detectors. A number of teenagers have been murdered in or close to their schools in recent years, including Kiyan Prince, a 15-year-old young footballer from north west London, who was stabbed to death with a pen knife by a fellow pupil who was losing an after school "play fight". In future, the Government wants more heads to work with police to establish "Safer School Partnerships" to drive out weapons, drugs and alcohol from their schools, while "parent advisors" will be asked to contribute suggestions in the event of trouble. In the second of his planned three reports into discipline in schools, which ministers hope will help tackle youth crime more generally, Sir Alan will also say that alcohol remains more of a problem than drugs in most schools. He wants teachers to be able to take advantage of new technology to keep in greater contact with parents about their children's behaviour. A pupil who misbehaved in class could be reported to his or her parents via email or text message. They will also be contacted if there are concerns about a teenagers attendance or punctuality. Sir Alan, who is headteacher of a school in Ilford, east London, will call for better training for teachers to deal with unruly behaviour, with more detailed recommendations to be published in his final report due out in the autumn. Despite public concern about unruly behaviour among school children, he insisted he remained "extremely optimistic" about the situation in most schools, adding: "There will always be problems in bringing up the young but these should not be exaggerated. "I believe that the vast majority of young people are as idealistic, committed and enthusiastic as they ever were and that standards of behaviour in schools are generally good. I also believe that most parents are responsible and caring." A recent report for the Department for Children found that 92 per cent of parents felt they were involved in their education, but Sir Alan said that the Government should not be complacent. Exclusions were down seven per cent to 8,680, as head teachers have been told to concentrate on "short sharp" suspensions instead of permanent expulsion. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake