Pubdate: Mon, 27 Mar 2006
Source: Irish Examiner (Ireland)
Copyright: Examiner Publications Ltd, 2006
Contact:  http://www.irishexaminer.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/144

TEACHERS ATTACK DRUG ADDICTION BOOK FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS

Teachers today attacked the sale of a "totally  unacceptable" book on
drug addiction to primary  schools.

The book, Issues 1, A Child Protection Handbook,  provides details of
drugs such as cannabis, cocaine and  heroin.

The Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) said  the material
was totally unacceptable for children at  primary level.

Its general secretary, John Carr, said: "The books  contain detailed
information on drugs, particularly  speed, cocaine, heroin, magic
mushrooms, ecstasy,  solvents and amphetamines. It's geared totally
for an  older person and is not suitable for children at a  primary
school level."

INTO has received a number of complaints from teachers  in Roscommon,
Leitrim and Donegal that businesses are  being approached to sponsor
the books for their local  school at a cost of more than E250.

"That has happened in a number of cases in the North  West, where
teachers had received a batch of books,"  said Mr Carr.

"When they looked at them, they found they were cheaply  produced,
there's no acknowledged authorship, they  appear to contain an
amalgam of material lifted from  everywhere and there's no links with
the curriculum,"  he told RTE radio.

Primary and secondary school pupils are already taught  about the
dangers of drug abuse under the Social  Personal and Health Education
(SPHE) curriculum.

The company behind the book, Carroll-Dillon Publishing,  has said
that some of the material is not appropriate  for young children. It
has invited responses from  school principals and will take these
into account if a  revised edition of the book is published.