CANNABIS IS FOUND IN EVERY SCHOOL, SAYS HEAD

A HEADTEACHER has denied his school has a drug problem after two
girls were expelled for possessing cannabis.

The 14 year-olds were expelled from Holy Trinity School, Gossops
Green, on June 16. The school hit the headlines earlier this year
when four other Year 10 girls were expelled for snorting cocaine on
school premises.

Headteacher Peter Wickert denied there is a drugs problem at Holy
Trinity and said the girls were found with the drugs last week thanks
to vigilant staff.

He said: "When they were discovered with the drugs the police were
informed and the pupils have been permanently excluded in line with
our zero tolerance policy on drugs.

"They were found with cannabis on them but had not been using it in
school.

"It is our zero tolerance that causes this publicity because, unlike
other schools, we do not cover up the issue."

He added: "The reason this appears more of a problem at our school is
because pupils are openly disciplined.

"Cannabis is found in every school.

"I would ask you to ask at the other secondary schools and ask them
what their policy is on drugs and compare that to us."

One woman with grandchildren at the school, who did not want to be
named, said her family were concerned about drug use at Holy Trinity.

She said: "We had heard about this problem at the school. They had an
assembly to tell the pupils about it.

"It's rife at the school but it probably is at other schools as
well."

A governors' discipline board will now review the girls' expulsion.