Alcohol, drugs see pupils expelled

Two Motueka High School students have been expelled for gross misconduct involving having alcohol and cannabis in school.

Three 13-year-old students went before a disciplinary hearing of the school board, after a student took cannabis from home and gave it to friends at school last week.

The Nelson Mail reported on Friday that the mother had allegedly given the cannabis to her child to take to school.

Motueka police say that was not the case. Their investigations had concluded the child found the cannabis and took it to school and gave it to other students.

The mother of the child who took it has been charged with possession of cannabis.

The three students were stood down pending Monday night's board disciplinary hearing.

Board chairman Ian Palmer said it was a sad indictment on society that students were exposed to drugs like this.

The three students were clearly upset and he did not believe they had understood the seriousness and consequences of what they had done at the time, he said.

Mr Palmer said making a decision on a child's future was tough. "Believe me, we did a lot of soul-searching and did not take it lightly."

It had been extremely disappointing that the board had been in that situation, he said.

"But the board does not sweep these issues under the carpet, we take it head on."

A lot of studies showed that children who took drugs and alcohol disengaged from learning.

"We're losing our youth way too early."

The school maintained a hard line on use of drug and alcohol.

"Parents these days seem to have different standards and that's the seriously concerning part.

"It's not easy when the culture is coming from home and parents don't seem to understand the impact on their children."

The use of alcohol and cannabis had been on different days.

The third student who had been stood down would return to school.

Mr Palmer said the best way forward was education on drugs for the rest of the school which had good liaison with police.

School principal Scott Haines would find alternative schools for the expelled students.

- © Fairfax NZ News