TEACHERS FRISK PUPIL FOR DRUGS

TEACHERS at an eastern suburbs school have been searching a student
for drugs without telling his parents.

Rowville Secondary College year 10 student Luke Murphy has been
searched twice in the past three weeks after tip-offs from a fellow
pupil. The 16-year-old was last searched on Tuesday.

Teachers forced Luke to empty his pockets, bag and locker, but
didn't find drugs on either occasion.

The student who alerted teachers to the suspected drug use had seen
Luke's packet of hand-rolled cigarettes and presumed he was carrying
marijuana.

Luke told the Herald Sun he had been humiliated and was upset by the
situation.

"I don't know why I was targeted. I have never had drugs on me," Luke said.

"There were quite a few students around at the lockers, the teacher
told them to go away but everyone knew what it was about. I was
pretty embarrassed."

Luke's father Steve Murphy is furious he was not contacted by the
school, and lodged a formal complaint with the Department of
Education last night.

"I know the school has an obligation to follow up on allegations
like this, but they could have handled it in a very different way,"
Mr Murphy said.

"The Schools for the Future reference guide says in such instances
the student is to be removed, parents are to be notified and police
are to conduct a confidential search.

"I want the school to give Luke a written apology and apologise to
him at a school assembly."

Luke also wants a formal apology.

But Rowville Secondary College principal Glenn Fankhauser yesterday
told the family the school would not apologise to Luke.

He told Mr Murphy and his wife Debi he would only apologise to them.

"He told us he would only apologise for not informing us, and that
in their eyes they had done no wrong by Luke," Mr Murphy said.

Mr Fankhauser told the Herald Sun he regretted Luke's parents had
not been informed about the searches.

"It was a genuine oversight by the teacher involved, and we are now
reviewing our practices to ensure it does not happen again," he said.

But Mr Fankhauser said the teachers followed Education Department
guidelines regarding what appeared to be a genuine complaint about a
student carrying drugs.