DRUG TESTS FOR WESLEY STUDENTS

A third prominent Melbourne private school yesterday announced it would
test its students for drugs.

The principal of Wesley College, Mr David Loader, said drug testing would
be introduced at the school within months, pending approval by the school
council.

Wesley will join Geelong Grammar, the first school in Australia to test for
drugs and Melbourne Grammar which followed suit on Monday.

The principal of Melbourne Grammar, Mr Paul Sheahan, said it was likely the
policy would be approved by the school council but it would be five or six
months before drug testing was implemented.

Speaking on ABC radio yesterday, Mr Loader said Wesley had "certain
responsibilities to be strong and to stand our ground".

"I'm aware of the issues of privacy, trust, confidentiality, consultation,
the legal issues, protocols ... I don't believe anyone wants to be liberal.
But we don't want to be labelled as being extreme right or something."

Mr Loader said that users would be counselled by the school in consultation
with their parents.

He said it was likely other private and government schools would introduce
testing.

The Premier, Mr Steve Bracks, said the State Government would watch with
interest as to whether the program succeeded. But there was no need to
introduce a similar program in public schools, he said. Without education
and other preventative attempts testing students would have little effect,
Mr Bracks predicted.

The deputy principal of Geelong Grammar, Mr Sean Burke, said the school's
drug testing had been "extremely successful".

Mr Burke said it had been testing students since 1996 but declined to say
how many had been tested. He said none had been expelled in the past year.

Mr Sheahan said Melbourne Grammar students caught, or suspected of using
drugs would be told to take a $50urine test paid for by their parents.
Teachers would be taught to look for signs of drug use including laziness,
sleepiness, red eyes and poor academic performance. Students who repeatedly
failed the tests and could not be rehabilitated within the school would be
asked to leave, Mr Sheahan said.

Mr Bracks also told radio station 3AW that police patrols in proposed
heroin injecting rooms were a good idea, but stressed he did not believe it
would be necessary for a constant police presence.

The Government hopes to open five injecting houses, and is awaiting a
report from drugs expert Dr David Pennington before proceeding.