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UK: Teachers attack drugs education for infants

Philip Johnston and Liz Lightfoot

The Telegraph

Tuesday 28 Apr 1998

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GOVERNMENT plans to educate children as young as five about the dangers
of drugs, as part of a long-term strategy to curb abuse, were criticised
by teachers' leaders last night.

Nigel de Gruchy, general secretary of the National Association of
Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers, also accused Tony Blair of
setting a bad example by courting pop stars. He said: "As always,
politicians expect others to act. The Prime Minister could probably
achieve more than 1,000 lessons in drugs education if he set a good
example and refrained from inviting pop stars associated with the drugs
scene to receptions at No 10."

Guests at Downing Street have included Noel Gallagher, of Oasis, who
said last year that taking drugs might now be as normal as "getting up
and having a cup of tea in the morning".

Mr de Gruchy also attacked the Government for "dumping social problems
on to schools. It is unrealistic to expect schools to fill the moral
vacuum created by so many different forces at work in society. Dumping
on schools is a cop-out by Government and society."

A White Paper published yesterday said that the national curriculum
should include lessons introducing pupils aged five to the dangers of
drugs. Keith Hellawell, the so-called drugs tsar, who devised the
strategy, defended the proposal, though some ministers believe that
eight or nine would be a more suitable age.

Mr Hellawell said: "We do not intend to start talking to children aged
five about crack cocaine and all the paraphernalia, but they need to
understand the consequences that drugs have. They need to understand
resistance so that they can make a choice. It's crucial that we get to
the children before the drug dealers do."

Jack Straw, Home Secretary, said: "If schools don't spell out the facts,
then for sure children will have them spelt out in the playground or on
the street corner."

Many primary schools teach children about drugs as part of the science
curriculum. Teachers are advised to emphasise that all drugs can be
harmful if misused. Under Government guidelines, children can be taught
about illegal drugs and their harmful effects from the age of seven. In
secondary schools, the curriculum covers drugs and their use and misuse
in more detail.

Mr de Gruchy said there was little evidence that drugs education for the
very young would succeed. He said: "I question the wisdom of involving
all five and six-year-olds in a programme of this kind because one or
two youngsters have been found with drugs in primary schools."

Despite an enormous increase in drugs education in schools over the past
decade, the problem seemed to be as bad as ever. David Hart, general
secretary of the National Association of Headteachers, said too many
were "streetwise" about drugs. Teachers had to balance protecting pupils
from abuse against encouraging experimentation.

Peter Smith, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and
Lecturers, said: "Learning about drugs does not encourage children to
experiment. Many already know more than their teachers about drug use."

 

 

 

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