FOUR EXPELLED FOR DEALING IN DRUGS

Four pupils have been expelled from one of Scotland's leading private
schools for selling drugs.

Another six pupils, who were caught smoking cannabis, have been
suspended by Stewart's Melville College in Edinburgh. The headmaster,
Patrick Tobin, said expulsion was the only choice for the school
because the four, who are aged 14 to 18, had been dealing in cannabis.

Mr Tobin said yesterday: "The boys in question were the essential link
between the outside drug world and the inner school community and this
could not be tolerated." He said that teachers had to try to stop
drugs becoming part of the school scene: "Our job, above all, is to
educate. It is a failure if you have to expel and you have to punish."

Addressing the Headmasters' Conference on Wednesday, Mr Tobin said
that if he followed the drugs chain in Edinburgh it would be found to
be "almost unchecked". He told delegates: "I see no evidence that the
police are interested in the small fry. But that does mean that the
small fry in our schools get caught up in this. When they do, there is
no evidence that police are checking this. Adults who are involved go
unpunished."

David Dunn, the deputy head teacher of the boys' school, said
yesterday that two of the pupils expelled were in the third year, one
in the fourth and one in the sixth.

The six who have been suspended will have disciplinary meetings with
Mr Tobin and Mr Dunn. Lothian and Borders Police said that statements
had been taken from pupils and that its inquiries were continuing.