HOWARD BACKS PRINCIPAL WHO EXPELLED YEAR 9 GIRLS

The head of Pymble Ladies' College, Mrs Gillian Moore, has defended her
decision to expel nine girls for allegedly handling marijuana, and her
tough stance has been supported by the Prime Minister, Mr Howard.

Mrs Moore yesterday told the Herald the girls should be forgiven but it was
not in their interests or other students' to allow them back in the school.

The North Shore school expelled the Year 9 students more than a week ago
for allegedly dealing, possessing or buying the drug.

The expulsions sparked protests from some of the girls' families and the
NSW Federation of Parents and Citizens' Associations, who say the
punishment was too severe.

But Mr Howard yesterday called for all schools to expel students caught
taking drugs, and applauded the "zero tolerance" stand taken by PLC.

He told an Adelaide radio station the school had set an example worth
repeating, however difficult it might be for the girls and their families.

"I think you are entitled to encourage schools to have no tolerance, to
have zero tolerance, whatever expression you want to use, in relation to
drug use in schools," he said.

Police, who were given the names of the expelled girls, said yesterday they
would not be taking the matter further.

While investigations would continue into whether there was a drug problem
at the school, Detective Peter Neilson from Hornsby police said the girls
had been through enough.

Mrs Moore said the girls had been considerably more damaged by the ensuing
publicity than the school's action.

"This is the first time we have had anything of this magnitude," she said.
"It [drugs] is a problem in society and schools have an important role to
play in that. No school is immune from what is happening in the wider
community."

But the mother of one of the expelled girls, who asked not to be named,
said the children had been let down by the school when they needed support.

Her 14-year-old daughter, who admitted to buying a small amount of
marijuana for about $12, has been out of school for more than a week and
was knocked back by two leading private schools because of the publicity.

"I have taught my daughter to tell the truth and now she sees that if you
do that you get punished twice as hard," the mother said.

Mrs Moore said that given "small amounts" of marijuana were involved, a
decision was made to expel the girls for a "serious breach" of school
rules, which meant they had a better chance of "moving on and putting the
incident behind them".