News (Media Awareness Project) - New Zealand: Editorial: Editorial Comment |
| Title: | New Zealand: Editorial: Editorial Comment |
| Published On: | 2008-05-24 |
| Source: | Ashburton Guardian, The (New Zealand) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-06-01 12:24:57 |
EDITORIAL COMMENT
Parents of students at the Mount Hutt College should feel pleased and
relieved that its teachers took a strong stance against student
cannabis use last week.
But we should not be surprised by the prevalence of drug
use.
What is happening in schools around this country is similar to what is
happening in our communities.
Most of our schools are under resourced to adequately handle the
number of student drinking and drug problems.
Mount Hutt School's move to crackdown early and firmly is a sound
attempt to head off future trouble.
What's more, it sends an unmistakeable wake-up call to the parents to
take control or face the consequences of their children being kicked
out of school and/or being dealt with by police.
In 2002 the Post Primary Teachers Association discussion paper, The
Cannabis Problem and Secondary Schools, proposed the fundamental aim
of any school policy should be to avoid early onset of regular use and
that government and parents should recognise that cannabis use in
society is a complex and not uncommon issue.
The paper cautioned against the "quick fix" solution and excessive
punitive actions.
So where does that leave our schools with the PPTA noting that 33 per
cent of all suspensions from schools is drug-related?
Between a rock and a hard place, so it would seem.
The paper said while schools cannot afford to be seen as "soft on
drugs", punitive actions (such as suspensions) focus on effects not
causes.
The message delivered then to the education lobby is as relevant now
as it was six years ago - the real cause of drug use by young people
lies in the wider community.
Therefore, its authors argued, cannabis policy should be driven by the
real needs of the whole community, not by the supposed needs of those
under 18.
The actions of the Mount Hutt School are a laudable blend of tough
love and counselling - a reactive and proactive approach which the
PPTA's members might learn from.
They deserve government and community support in their drive to keep
their school as drug-free as possible.
Parents of students at the Mount Hutt College should feel pleased and
relieved that its teachers took a strong stance against student
cannabis use last week.
But we should not be surprised by the prevalence of drug
use.
What is happening in schools around this country is similar to what is
happening in our communities.
Most of our schools are under resourced to adequately handle the
number of student drinking and drug problems.
Mount Hutt School's move to crackdown early and firmly is a sound
attempt to head off future trouble.
What's more, it sends an unmistakeable wake-up call to the parents to
take control or face the consequences of their children being kicked
out of school and/or being dealt with by police.
In 2002 the Post Primary Teachers Association discussion paper, The
Cannabis Problem and Secondary Schools, proposed the fundamental aim
of any school policy should be to avoid early onset of regular use and
that government and parents should recognise that cannabis use in
society is a complex and not uncommon issue.
The paper cautioned against the "quick fix" solution and excessive
punitive actions.
So where does that leave our schools with the PPTA noting that 33 per
cent of all suspensions from schools is drug-related?
Between a rock and a hard place, so it would seem.
The paper said while schools cannot afford to be seen as "soft on
drugs", punitive actions (such as suspensions) focus on effects not
causes.
The message delivered then to the education lobby is as relevant now
as it was six years ago - the real cause of drug use by young people
lies in the wider community.
Therefore, its authors argued, cannabis policy should be driven by the
real needs of the whole community, not by the supposed needs of those
under 18.
The actions of the Mount Hutt School are a laudable blend of tough
love and counselling - a reactive and proactive approach which the
PPTA's members might learn from.
They deserve government and community support in their drive to keep
their school as drug-free as possible.
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