STUDENTS COULD BE CHARGED BY POLICE

Police are considering whether to charge any of the 20 suspended
students at Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School, according to
the NSW Department of Education and Training director general Andrew
Cappie-Wood.

Mr Cappie-Wood said on Saturday students could still face expulsion
as investigations continued into cannabis use by students in the
school's grounds. Eight of the 20 students have already been
interviewed by police and further interviews will occur this week.
Parents from outlying areas have been forced to travel to Tamworth
to pick up their suspended sons.

Yesterday Mr Cappie-Wood said police had been notified and were
considering whether to charge any of the students. He said relieving
principal James Levy had not ruled out expelling the students.

"In terms of our suspension and expulsion policy, what we do have is
some clear evidence as a result of the police speaking with the
students and that has triggered a discipline policy where we've seen
immediate suspension of a number of students," Mr Cappie-Wood told reporters.

"[But] the principal has written to parents to say that expulsions
are not out of the question."

He said the investigation would hopefully determine whether it was
an isolated incident. He praised Mr Levy for taking quick action
against the pupils.

"In the circumstances we are very happy with the actions of the
principal and he has the department's full support in taking swift
action to involve the police and parents in this particular issue,"
Mr Cappie-Wood said.

"Clearly drugs are not tolerated in any of our schools and we have a
very strong discipline policy to be able to support that."

Drug education was part of the curriculum of all NSW public schools
and the school had a drug education officer, he said.

"We need to make sure that those boarding schools as well as all
high schools understand that there's a very clear policy around
drugs and that is that they are not tolerated at all."

It is believed the marijuana was taken into the school and not
cultivated on the premises.