Pubdate: Mon, 09 Feb 2015
Source: Daily Telegraph (Australia)
Copyright: 2015 News Limited
Contact: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/readers-comments
Website: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/
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Author: Bruce McDougall

DRUGGED STUDENT CRISIS IN SCHOOLS

THE number of students using or possessing drugs in NSW schools is at 
record levels.

On average 20 students are suspended each week after being busted 
with illicit drugs, with some principals calling it a "crisis".

Schools handed out 790 long suspensions for drug offences in 2013 - 
the highest number in almost a decade and more than double the number 
of suspensions in 2009.

For the two years 2012 and 2013, schools imposed 1539 long 
suspensions on students for offences involving suspected illicit 
substances, data collated by the NSW Department of Education and 
Communities shows. While much of the drug and alcohol use occurs 
outside school, some students have become seriously ill in class or 
in the playground and have had to be taken to hospital.

In one Western Sydney school up to eight students - seven boys and 
one girl - were found to be "drug-affected" during lessons.

"The young persons were all just sitting motionless and blankly 
staring while in class," a serious incident report said.

"The principal suspects that one student is possibly supplying 
illegal substances outside the school grounds."

One of the students was overheard talking to a classmate about 
supplying drugs and replying that he "only had one left". Police were 
called in by the school, which earlier that week had conducted an 
"educational presentation" about illegal drug use.

More than 200 high school principals revealed in a survey that 
alcohol and drugs were having "significant and negative impacts on 
academic performance" with teachers forced to spend large amounts of 
time trying to help affected students. One female student at a 
northern Sydney school was unable to stand up while another student 
fell over in class and hit his head.

The principals from government, independent and Catholic schools 
surveyed for the Australian National Council on Drugs said alcohol 
and cannabis were the major concerns. But students were also found to 
have taken ice, amphetamines, ecstasy and tabs.

Drug and alcohol consumption in young people has been linked to 
mental health issues and cyber-bullying.

The Australian National Council on Drugs said schools needed a "far 
greater level of support from governments, communities and the drug 
and alcohol sector".

The NSW Department of Education and Communities said students from 
kindergarten to Year 10 learned about the "consequences and issues 
related to drugs including alcohol" through the personal development, 
health and physical education syllabus.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom