PRINCIPALS DIVIDED OVER DRUG TESTING

Government high schools will not be following the lead of several prominent
NSW and Victorian private schools to drug test their students at random.

A spokesman for the Department of Education and Training said yesterday
there were no plans whatsoever to use random drug testing of students in the
State's 400 secondary schools.

Earlier this week, the head of St Andrew's Cathedral School indicated the
school planned to introduce the random tests for students who had been
caught with drugs and who had sought a second chance after admitting to a
problem.

Inquiries by the Herald indicate that a wide range of views exist on the
issue.

The principal of The King's School, Dr Timothy Hawkes, said a system of
random drug testing was already in place at the school for students
identified as being "at risk".

Dr Hawkes said he sought the support of the parents, notified the student,
and then sprang a test on them, collecting a urine sample and sending it to
a pathologist.

The principal of Tara Anglican School for Girls, Mrs Carol Bowern, said she
supported the concept of a second chance and had used drug testing at the
Whitsunday Anglican School in Mackay where she was head from 1995 to 1999.
If a student was found in suspicious circumstances, Mrs Bowern escorted them
to a pathology lab where tests were done on urine samples.

Mrs Judith Wheeldon, head of Abbotsleigh, said she would watch the St
Andrew's tests with great interest and had an open mind to considering
implementing it at the school.

Ms Jenny Allum from SCEGGS Darlinghurst said every disciplinary problem
would be treated on a case-by-case basis, but would consider it as an
option.

However, the headmaster of Trinity, Mr Milton Cujes, said he had a policy of
zero tolerance and any student "involved with seed or substance" would be
expelled.

Yesterday the departmental spokesman said a random drug testing regime would
be a gross invasion of privacy which was totally outside the duty of care
which the schools had towards students.

He said any discovery by school staff of use or possession of illegal
substances by students required a mandatory notification by the school's
principal to police.