Expelled... Is the school doing right thing?

[sleepycow]

Not my child. But the children involved are from same friendship groups. Year 11 at school and one of the other pupils informed the school that two boys had smoked cannabis in the school holidays. Cue bag and phone searches, boys were made to write statements and admitted they had done so. Due to the searches others were caught out and boys in question have been expelled. This is not a private school. But is a free school.

They have not done this at school or whilst in uniform. Just seems like a huge over reaction. I don't condone drug use at all, but they are at an age where they are experimenting and probably trying to impress peers. Doesn't mean they are raving drug addicts. I just think there are better ways of dealing with this than to kick them out in their final year of school.

Are the school being unreasonable? Or do you agree they are justified.

Years back in year 11 half the year got suspended for cannabis over mock GCSE time.

That was for selling in school and smoking in school.

Our school had this policy and I think it was good. The students need a strong message that drug use is not acceptable. And they need the least chance of their peers being a negative influence. My relative has schizophrenia from ongoing drug use as a teenager - perhaps with a stronger line drawn in the sand he could have had a better outcome.

What does it say in the school prospectus about drug use?

I'm not sure what you mean by "Due to the searches others were caught out and boys in question have been expelled."

What others? How were they "caught out"?

So they found drugs on kids in school and permanently excluded them? That would be what happened in every school I have ever taught in.

Were they in possession of cannabis and/or drug taking paraphernalia, grinders, papers etc? If so the school were not unreasonable, there lucky police were not called.

If nothing was found but they were expelled because they admitted taking cannabis in the holidays, I think it could've been handled differently if there had been no previous behavioural issues.

If they admitted dealing again expulsion fair and police should've been informed.

How does disrupting their education by excluding them from school improve this situation exactly?

*they're

Pigglesworth..ex friend of mine does too. Horrible stuff. He lost his dad and went down that route which sadly destroyed him.

According to your OP, the expulsion occurred after bag searches; so they were punished for carrying/selling drugs in school, not for "experimenting" outside of school.

They brought drugs to school, they were expelled. That matches my experience of working in schools, and is correct as far as I'm concerned.

If they where found with drugs on School grounds then I don’t think they had much choice really!

Littlefish

From what I gather by going through the boys phones others were identified as being involved.

I am of course hearing this second hand though, so could not be completely accurate as to how they were found out.

It sounds like material was found following a search. If they had drugs or things linked to drugs in their bags at school I think instant exclusion is the norm.

No drugs were found in School. No drugs were used in School.

They searched the bags because they school were informed they had smoked the cannabis in School holidays. They searched bags and phones to look for evidence of drug use.

No such thing as expulsion - do you mean they had a managed move or went to the PRU?

Sorry posted too soon...

They found nothing in bags, there was talk of the cannabis use on phones.
The boys in question admitted to using the cannabis during holidays. They are not dealers.

No clionba I don't mean either of those, it has only happened this week.
I don't know about the process but they are not allowed to continue at that school so it's the same thing in my eyes.

You know the school found nothing? How?
They’re not dealers? How can you be sure?

I don't think it was right to expel. What goes on in school holidays is not school's business and nobody died. If they carry on doing this they'll be expelling practically every pupil.

I remember this happening when I was in Y11. Cannabis might seem harmless but it's how the heroin addicts can start x

Wolfiefan what difference does it make how I know? Do you think otherwise?

I'm on the fence here. I just wanted other views on is this usual for a school to take this action. I've never come across this situation before. At school myself, or with my children.

I honestly wonder if you got the story right. It seems strange to expell based on a confession of something that happened over the summer - unless they admitted dealing maybe?

Our school will instantly expell any student shown to be under the influence of drink/drugs or in possession of drink/drugs on school property (including the school bus). Or any student shown to be dealing drugs at any time. They have the strong support of the vast majority of parents in this.

If they didn't find anything, I suppose the phones could have shown evidence of dealing at school, that could be enough I guess?

Another school will take them. It may affect their GCSE options / results, but schools really cannot be seen to be anything other than hardline re drugs in schools imo.

Years back in year 11 half the year got suspended for cannabis over mock GCSE time.

@Singlebutmarried

Either we went to the same school or there are two schools out there who have suspended most of one year for cannabis use.

Sorry for the derail

If nothing was done or found on school property and it was only done over the school holidays then I would say expulsion was harsh.
And I’m very anti drugs.

At my previous school, drugs were found in the back of a student’s phone by a member of the office staff who was putting it in the safe after it had been confiscated. The student concerned was permanently excluded and as the HOY it was school policy and accepted that that would happen.