Pubdate: Sat, 02 Jul 2005
Source: Manawatu Evening Standard (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2005 Manawatu Evening Standard
Contact:  http://www.manawatueveningstandard.co.nz/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1057
Author: New Zealand Press Association
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

ALARM AT PRIMARY SCHOOL CANNABIS DEALING

Children as young as 10 are dealing and smoking cannabis at school,
and boards of trustees are being told to call police to deal with the
growing playground drug culture.

The School Trustees Association annual conference in Auckland
yesterday heard there was a "worrying trend" of increased disciplinary
action against primary school children using cannabis.

Ron Mulligan, the association's trusteeship adviser, said the evidence
was anecdotal, "but we are hearing about it because it's a shock to
primary schools.

"It's an offence they've not had to deal with in the past and it makes
them very nervous."

Mr Mulligan said the offenders were usually in years seven and eight
and, though there were instances of dealing, more often it was a case
of children "simply sharing it among themselves".

Schools should call police because it was not just a behavioural
problem but a legal one, Mr Mulligan said.

Another new issue faced by school trustees, mainly in secondary
schools, is a growing number of sexual harassment and misconduct cases.

While the total number of stand-downs and suspensions has remained
reasonably stable nationwide, punishments for sexually-related
misbehaviour have shot up.

Ministry of Education figures show the number of such cases has risen
by almost a third in two years, from 283 in 2002, to 371 at the end of
the last school year.

Mr Mulligan, who helped to develop rules for disciplinary action
cases, said school communities needed to instil stricter codes of
values to counter the problems.

"You want to help the student, but you also need to make sure the rest
of the student population can be educated in a safe environment. It's
a real balancing act," Mr Mulligan said.

He urged schools to seek out and lean on the many other agencies
available to help them, including behaviour modification, anger
management and drug and alcohol counselling.

"Good values need to be instilled in a school's culture. Schools have
to look at ways to work with a student," Mr Mulligan said.

The association's conference, which continues over the weekend, is
also looking at preventing bullying and at under-funding.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake