PM WARNED OVER SCHOOL DRUG TESTS

One in three pupils 'will fail drug tests'... Fears that truancy will
rocket -Teachers 'at risk of legal action'...

ONE-in-three children will be busted if Tony Blair introduces random drug
tests into schools, experts warned last night.

Truancy will soar as drug-using pupils try to avoid compulsory urine tests,
said pressure groups and unions.

And teachers will face increased risks of being sued if they force children
into taking police-style dope tests.

Mr Blair unveiled plans for random drug tests in schools in a Sunday
newspaper interview. He said: "If heads believe they have a problem in
their school, then they should be able to do random drug testing.

"Guidance will be given to head teachers next month which is going to give
them specifically the power to do random drug testing within their schools."

Headteachers have already been given the power to randomly test pupils for
drugs. But pressure groups, unions and student bodies were horrified at the
plan. Drugs information charity DrugScope said surveys showed 31 per cent
of 15-year-olds had used cannabis.

Chief executive Martin Barnes warned: "There will be an increase in
truancies and a breakdown in trust between pupils and schools."

Jean Gemmell, General Secretary of the Professional Association of
Teachers, said: "Litigation is rife when teachers are deemed to have done
anything intrusive that parents or young people are not happy with."

Dr John Dunford, general secretary of the Secondary Heads Association,
added: "I am concerned at the implication that the drugs problem is rooted
in schools and that schools should solve it."

Eamonn O'Kane, general secretary of teaching union NASUWT, said: "It is
effectively giving headmasters police powers and I think a head teacher
would want to think very carefully before exercising them."

But General Secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers David
Hart backed the plans, saying it would give heads "another weapon in their
fight against drugs being pushed or used in their schools".

And Margaret Morrissey, spokeswoman for the National Confederation of
Parent Teacher Associations, broadly welcomed the plan.

She said: "We are cautiously positive about the proposals. If we are going
to look at it, there are a lot of questions parents will want answering,
firstly if it is to be voluntary or enforced."

Education minister Ivan Lewis said: "The majority of this country are very,
very anxiously concerned about the growing drugs menace. "We do not want it
in our schools, we do not want it near our schools."

A senior source at the Department of Education dismissed the idea it would
lead to increased truancy. He said: "If pupils do test positive our aim
would be to help them - not punishment."

Litigation is rife when teachers are deemed to have done anything intrusive
that parents or young people are not happy with

Jean Gemmell, Gen Sec, PAT

It is effectively giving police powers and I think a head teacher would
want to think very, very carefully before exercising them

Eamonn O'Kane, Gen Sec, NASUWT

I am concerned at the implication that the drugs problem is rooted in
schools and that schools should solve it

Dr John Dunford, Gen Sec, SHA

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