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UK: Random drug tests for pupils at start of new school term
David Sapsted The Telegraph
Thursday 06 Jan 2005 Pupils starting the new term at one secondary school yesterday became the first to face a new test - for drugs. Despite criticism that the scheme, which is backed by the Prime Minister, violated civil liberties and could lead to truancy, the Abbey School in Faversham, Kent, became the first state school in the country to introduce the random tests. Ten pupils, aged between 11 and 18, had their names randomly selected by computer yesterday morning to undergo the tests, which involved mouth swabs being taken by specially trained, non-teaching members of staff. Results will be available in three days to show if any of the children have taken cocaine, cannabis or ecstasy. Peter Walker, the headmaster, who introduced the tests in an attempt to stop children experimenting with drugs, expects that up to 20 out of the school's 960 pupils will be tested during a normal week. "None of the pupils will be forced to take a test against their wishes," he said. "If they refuse, we will call the parents in to the school and discuss it. It might indicate that the child has been taking some stuff and doesn't want to be found out." So far, only 15 per cent of the 701 parents who have returned authorisation forms have refused to allow their child to be tested. Mr Walker said no pupil would be expelled if he or she had a positive test. "It's not a question of punishment, it's a question of support," he said. "We will decide whether they need counselling, police support or health care. We do not have a bigger drugs problem than any other school. There's a chance we have even less of a problem because we are so pro-active." Last February, in an interview with a tabloid newspaper that is sponsoring the Faversham tests, Tony Blair gave his blessing to random drug testing in schools. There has been evidence from America that such tests can reduce drug-taking while, in Britain, a recent survey found that almost a third of 11- to 15-year-olds questioned said they had tried illicit drugs. However, drug tests have drawn criticism from educationists and civil rights groups. Martin Barnes, the chief executive of DrugScope, who sits on the Government's advisory council on the misuse of drugs, has given warning that testing risks driving drug use further underground and may increase truancies. "We do not accept that testing pupils as young as 11 is a proportionate response to general concerns about drug use," he said. Barry Hugill, a spokesman for Liberty, said: "We're not at all sure what this is going to achieve apart from turning perfectly innocent children into supposed drug abusers. If they refuse to be tested, the implication is obvious: they've got something to hide." Zack Kirby, 16, who lives in Faversham, is one pupil whose parents have refused permission for him to take part in the testing. He said: "I don't agree with it. It's an invasion of privacy. It should be up to your mum and dad to sort this kind of thing out." While some private schools have already introduced testing, no other state schools have yet committed themselves to a regular programme of tests. The Scottish Executive has consistently opposed such schemes in schools north of the border.
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