PARENTS BACK DRUG SEARCHES

Most parents would back random searches of pupils to detect drugs and
weapons smuggled into school, according to a poll of 1,000 parents for the
Times Educational Supplement.

Most took a tough line on serious disciplinary issues, with eight out of 10
saying pupils who dealt in cannabis should be permanently excluded and
seven out of 10 backing the sanction for pupils caught with a knife.

Only 5% opposed drugs and weapons searches - backed by the prime minister
and now an option for schools.

Just over a third of parents said their child had been bullied at school,
but more than half of those thought the school dealt with the problem
effectively.

Behaviour is the biggest problem facing schools, according to parents of
secondary school pupils, but most felt teachers did a good job in managing
the problem.