Subj: State schools using random drug tests

Date: Mar 29, 1998

Source: Independent on Sunday

State schools using random drug tests

By Ben Russell and Matt Rodda

STATE schools are starting to use drug tests for
pupils, according to a senior Government adviser.

The move, which has been condemned by head
teachers, marks a profound shift in school drugs
policies.

Head teacher Peter Walker, a member of the
Home Office advisory council for misuse of
drugs, said he knew of a "handful" of state
schools that used tests. One had decided to
introduce random testing.

Increasing numbers of independent schools,
including Eton, St Paul's, Rugby and Harrow,
already test pupils they suspect may have been
taking drugs, but state schools have shied away
from the idea until now.

Mr Walker, who helped draw up nationwide
recommendations on drugs issued by the National
Association of Head Teachers last year, said he
knew of around five state schools that had
introduced testing, although he declined to identify
them.

He said: "There are a small number of state
schools that are involved in drug testing. I know
of a very small number which involve themselves
in random drug testing.

"Personally, I would not go anywhere near it. I
have never even considered it."

He warned that testing would have profound
implications for schools' standing in the
community and with their pupils. He said: "I
would ask schools to think extremely carefully .
We have to ask if we are putting the right
messages out."

Drugs are already widespread in schools, with
half of all children thought to have experimented
with drugs by the age of 15. Local authority
leaders warn that some schools have problems
with hard drugs such as cocaine and heroin.
Primary schools have also reported drug use
among pupils.

Head teachers, however, expressed deep
concerns about testing. Chris Thatcher, Vice
President of the National Association of Head
Teachers, said: ''We would all like to wave a
magic wand and remove drug problems, but this
is a knee-jerk reaction. Schools that carried out
random drug tests could appear heavy-handed
and authoritarian.''

The NASUWT, a teachers' union, rejects testing,
but supports tough action on drugs. General
secretary Nigel de Gruchy said: "We would
support any school management team which took
a hard line on drugs. Schools are expected to
uphold the law and we would be concerned if a
school management team took a soft line on
drugs."

Government advice to schools does not tackle the
question of drug testing. Governors must decide
their own individual policies for dealing with the
problem.

Schools are expected to call in the police, but
heads are warned only to consider expulsion as "a
final sanction when all other reasonable steps
have been taken".

Drug testing is already widespread in independent
schools, where there have been a series of
high-profile drugs-related expulsions in recent
weeks.

Earlier this month, Eton threw out two boys, and
St Paul's school in Barnes, west London, expelled
three teenage boys. Both schools are among the
growing number in the independent sector to have
accepted drug testing.

St Paul's High Master, Stephen Baldock, said his
school's policy was clear: using cannabis was
illegal and anyone found with drugs on the
premises would be expelled.

Mr Baldock said: "If a boy is in possession of
cannabis on the school premises he has broken
the law of the school. We have agreement that we
could use drug testing if there were good reasons
for it, but we do not do random testing; we would
say it was a positive support for a boy who has
given assurances that he was not involved in
drugs."