Pubdate: Tue, 24 Jul 2007
Source: Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)
Copyright: 2007 The Sydney Morning Herald
Contact:  http://www.smh.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/441

PRIVATE SCHOOLS ADOPT ANTI-DRUGS PLAN

Victorian private school students caught with drugs on  schools
premises will be handed to police under an  agreement matching
guidelines operating in state  schools.

News Limited newspapers report that independent and  Catholic schools
signed an agreement last month to  follow the same guidelines as state
schools for any  student found using, possessing or dealing drugs.

Under the agreement, principals must be advised of  every incident
involving students and drugs, notify  police and work with any
investigation or risk  breaching Victoria's drug laws, the report said.

The move follows recent drug incidents at elite private  schools
Scotch College and Xavier College.

Police were not notified that Xavier had expelled a  Year 11 student
for selling marijuana to three other  students, while Scotch expelled
a Year 12 student for  selling ecstasy to a Year 9 student.

Education Minister John Lenders said the Education  Department, the
Catholic Education Commission of  Victoria and the Association of
Independent Schools  Victoria had signed the strengthened memorandum
of  understanding last month.

Mr Lenders said the government would closely monitor  the
effectiveness of the new agreement.
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MAP posted-by: Derek