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.

What difference does it make?
Well kids gossip and facts get twisted. The kids involved may claim innocence when that’s simply not true. The school wouldn’t divulge what they found. So I can’t believe you have a reliable source.

I don’t think it is usual if exactly as you described. We have students we know smoke cannabis outside school but as long as they don’t bring it onto school property we don’t actively look for evidence of outside school activity.

There is a very strict set of procedures for permanently excluding any child. They need to be followed and parents should get a copy and make sure they are.
It is extremely unusual for a school to permanently exclude a child in Y11. It is even more unusual for a school to permanently exclude a child for smoking cannabis in the school holidays- if that is really why they were permanently excluded I think parents would have a very good shot at having this over-ruled. Are you sure they have not been dealing in school or something like that?
In the school Discipline Policy it should state under what circumstances a child can be permanently excluded. It should also state what the school does to support students who experiment with drugs. If the school has not followed its policies the parents may well be able to have a permanent exclusion over-turned at the Governors' Disciplinary Meeting which must take place to ratify the exclusion.

Mind you, Free Schools are generally very badly organised and often not at all up on government policies. They get away with murder. Your best bet is to put your child back into a state school.

If the half of mock GCSEs getting banned happened in 98 in the East Midlands area hi how you doing. Op Just because teens are prone to experimenting doesn’t mean such experiments come without a cost.

Wolfiefish you are wrong if you believe teachers who work in schools don't divulge information when they should not.

This same school sent boys to isolation on the first few days of school last week,for having facial hair. There was nothing written in the policy about this. After parents questioned it they were told it would be written in over the weekend. They have now backtracked and said it is allowed if neat.

There is quite a long and difficult process for permanent exclusion from state schools. It is most likely a fixed term exclusion unless evidence of actual drug or dug taking on the school premises. Most schools will involve parents and drug help groups.
Schools will not permanently exclude for drug use it the holidays as they will not be able to uphold the exclusion. Nowadays it is difficult to exclude permanently as it is very last resort, the exam results of the Year 11 student excluded will affect the overall grades for the school, as they still count (for league tables).

I’ve just realised this is a free school so will not be so tightly governed by the rules of state run schools.

Exclusions can be made for behaviour outside of school if it is against the school behaviour policy. I can't imagine many schools do take that approach though.

I'm sure if schools
Have the authority to actually go though students phones?

Perhaps if they have suspicions and information they hand it over to the police. But to actually go through pictures, text message etc..

Maybe they've found something in the searches that you're not aware of?

• not sure even!

I'm surprised they are allowed to go through phones!

I think it's harsh if it didn't happen at school or in uniform or in any way to link back to school. But that's my opinion and no idea how I'd feel if it happened to ds when he's older.

I’m going back a decade or so now, but in Y11 10 of the boys in my year we’re permanantly excluded. It was a naice grammar school (boys and girls separate h nice girls were probably involved but got away with it as premises were other side of town)
Boys pleaded innocence, couldn’t believe been treated so badly etc etc They had definitely not been smoking weed on school premises, selling on premises, nor hiding gun carriages and dynamite in woods (I kid you not).
In fact of course they had been doing all these things and the school knew it. They tried to say not dealing just giving to mates, this of course was dealing and friends giving them money (or trainers/ other goods in exchange). They’re probably lucky no one told them about the cocaine. Drugs were rife at school.

In my experience schools don’t exclude unless they HAvE to. Which means they have evidence and plenty of it! So either your child is spinning you a line, or they don’t know the extent of it!!

I was about to formulate an opinion in re to the exclusions, then read your post about 'facial hair, and thought poss you might just have a 'beef' with the school.

What is your part in these scenarios?

I imagine the proportion of 15yos who have tried cannabis during school holidays is quite high. I think expelling them was harsh.

I am surprise about going through their phones, that seems like something a parent might do but not the school.

You say From what I gather and I am of course hearing this second hand though, so you actually don't know the actual facts of the matter at all and depending on who you got your second-hand news from will determine very much the slant they will put on the matter.

As a parent, I would have no issues with a school expelling drug users. I know how easily drug related behaviour spreads and I support a zero tolerance approach.

As a teacher, schools have a policy they must follow. They rarely make stuff up on the fly. Searches would be in their policy somewhere.

You have said this isn’t your child so I do think you may not have been given the full story, either intentionally or unintentionally.

Really? When I was at school they found actual white powder in a Year 9 girl's locker, and she only got temporarily excluded.

The sort of teachers who would gossip (quite possibly passing on misinformation) are not people I would regard as trustworthy professionals.
You’re just listening to gossip. And I agree with a PP it sounds like you have a “beef” with the school.
If it’s not your child then stay out of it.

I don't have any beef at all... never had a problem with my children there.

I just added the facial hair in because it seems they don't follow policy. Or as others have said, don't need to like a state school would.

Wolfiefan... what do you mean stay out if it? I'm not in it. I'm not up the school complaining. I am in a private forum.
I asked for opinions which is what this page is for. Like I have repeatedly said I am on the fence. I have given the story as I know it, and at this moment in time believe to be true.

I think if it happened in the school holidays, off school premises, it would be for parents to sort. I think at some schools if they expelled every year 11 who had smoked cannabis, they wouldn't have many kids left.

Can teachers go through the kids phones ? I don't think I would want a teacher going through my child's phone.

Well, I bet the kids who got expelled are having a joint tonight after getting kicked out of school in their GCSE year and the presumed bolloking they will have received from their parents!

I don’t agree at all with the school. This is far too heavy handed.
If the children had been discovered to have had sex in the school holidays would they have been expelled for that? Because that is illegal if you are under 16.
Wouldn’t the school be wiser to teach the children about the dangers of drug use? To educate them on facts, not on gossip and assumptions. It seems a very old fashioned method of punishment to expel.

I think it’s a very very heavy handed reaction to drugs and I think it’s will make the smoking or eating of cannabis seem like highly forbidden fruit. And we all know what happens when you forbid somebody from doing something.
If they had been found in possession of drugs then yes- strong penalties need to be applied so a firm message is sent out.

And leaving the cannabis to one side I would be highly unhappy with the school going through my child’s phone. I don’t do that! It’s stepping over a line somewhat with the rights of a persons privacy.

If anyone gives another person drugs wether paid for or not - they are supplying and therefore dealing.

Getting 10 quids worth for a friend is dealing.

There will be evidence in the phones -

They are creating a drug culture

They should be excluded

I would be more worried about my child being exposed to drugs by their friends than facial hair and improper bag searches. I would want the school to uncover drug dealing etc. and make sure it wasn't happening in school.