SCHOOL EXPELS 3 FOR USE OF CANNABIS

Three boys have been expelled and two others suspended from a leading North
Shore private school for allegedly possessing and smoking cannabis.

The students at Barker College in Hornsby were boarders, ranging from Year 8
to Year 10.

Authorities last week searched boarding rooms and found marijuana and
smoking implements with the three Year 10 students, who were expelled.

Another two Year 8 and 9 students who admitted smoking the drug were
suspended. Further suspensions are believed likely.

Boarders were told about the school's actions on Monday and were encouraged
to "own up" if they had also smoked cannabis, believed to have become
widespread since the beginning of this school term.

The incident follows the expulsion of nine girls from Pymble Ladies' College
for a similar offence less than two months ago and comes just days before
the start of the NSW Drug Summit.

Mr Duncan McInnes, executive officer of the NSW Parents' Council, which
represents private school parents, said schools had to demonstrate a tough
stance on drugs.

Parents had been supportive of his stance after the earlier incident at PLC,
he said. But the parents' council, and its public school counterpart, had
not been invited to participate in the summit.

"School parents haven't got a chance to say anything at the Drug Summit. We
would like to play a part in developing positive strategies," Mr McInnes
said.

Police have not been notified of the events at Barker, but a local officer
said they would launch an investigation if the matter became public.

The school's headmaster could not be contacted, but students at the school
had been told to "tell the truth" if asked about the events because the
school was not trying to keep it quiet.