Random drug testing at TSS
THE Southport School – one of the country’s most prestigious institutions – is considering rolling out random saliva and urine tests on its students to weed out party drug use.
TSS headmaster Greg Wain last night e-mailed parents about the drug testing regime that would target random students each term.
Mr Wain, who was convinced of the idea while on an American study trip last year, said the school intended to impose a two-strike policy. After a first positive reading, students would undergo counselling with their parents and the headmaster.
After a second offence, the offending pupils would be expelled. Under the school’s current policy any student found in possession of drugs is kicked out of TSS.
Mr Wain said dozens of students would be tested throughout the year.
The drug testing concept was hatched after two boys were caught with marijuana while on an exchange t r i p t o S c o t l a n d i n 2 0 1 0 .
It is intended to send a strong message to the school’s students that they should steer clear of party drugs.
Mr Wain told the Bulletin that the school recorded drug-related incidents off campus every 18 months to two years, which was ‘‘much less’’ than other schools.
‘‘It’s always something that started outside school on holidays, that’s why we’re doing testing,’’ Mr Wain said.
‘‘We don’t have a problem here but the boys have a problem in the holidays and on the weekends when they sometimes go to large parties and these things (drugs) are available.’’
TSS will host an information forum for parents next week.
The P&F Association and senior staff have supported the move, as has the student representative council, which passed a motion in April backing the drug testing.
‘‘When I talk to the boys they say ‘yep, that will be give us a strong reason to say no (to drugs)’,’’ he said.
Mr Wain said they were still trying to determine whether the boy’s next school would need to know about the child’s drug history.
He said rolling out the policy at the independent school would be easy but parents would need to sign consent forms for the minors to be tested.
Last year Mr Wain found a school in Chicago with the same socioeconomic demographic that was testing their students for drugs.
Mr Wain said being ‘‘drug-free’’ was now one of the four main requirements of students, alongside academic, sporting efforts and looking after each other.
He said one of the concerns from students was the school dictating how they spent their weekend.