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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: School must reinstate boys expelled for drug-dealing
Thomas Penny The Telegraph
Wednesday 27 Feb 2002 A HEADMASTER who expelled two boys for dealing drugs in his school has been ordered by the local education authority to allow them back. Neil Brett, the head of St Edmund's Roman Catholic School, Southsea, Hants, was told that an independent review panel had decided that the sanction was too harsh. The two boys were excluded from the school in December after they admitted selling cannabis to fellow pupils in the school lavatories. A third boy was suspended for smoking the drug. Portsmouth city council told the review panel that it did not support the children's exclusion and Mr Brett accused them of being "soft" on drugs. He said yesterday: "I find it disconcerting that the local education authority expects me to take these boys back and doesn't expect anything to do with cannabis to result in an expulsion. "I feel let down. Dealing in drugs is a very serious matter. I don't want my teachers to have to put up with pupils who spend their lunchtimes dealing in drugs." Mr Brett said that the return of the pupils had sent a "very bad signal" about drugs and undermined his authority in the school. He added that staff at the 900-pupil school were upset by the decision and may refuse to teach the boys when they return. He plans to have them taught in isolation. Andy Hough, head of pupil services at Portsmouth city council, defended the authority's stance. He said: "Substance misuse in schools is an issue we take very seriously indeed. In certain circumstances the ultimate sanction of permanent exclusion may be appropriate but it is important that all cases are considered on their merits. "We fully appreciate the levels of concern the head teacher, parents and others have in connection with drug-related issues and we all need to work together to address this problem."
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