Two Worthing schoolgirls suspended after taking mephedrone (From The Argus)
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Two Worthing schoolgirls suspended after taking mephedrone
9:30am Tuesday 30th March 2010 in
Two 15-year-old pupils have been suspended from school after taking the legal high “meow”.
The girls, from Davison High School in Worthing, admitted using the substance during the school day after they were questioned by staff about their behaviour.
Yesterday the Government’s drug advisory coun¬ cil recommended that meow also known as mephedrone should be classified as a class B drug.
Home Secretary Alan Johnson said the substance, which has been linked to the death of a Hove man, will be banned within weeks.
Pupils at Davison High have now been warned about the dangers of meow as the school’s head teacher raised concerns about the “ease of availability” of the substance.
Headteacher Della West said the incident happened last week and the girls have been suspended for a fixed amount of time, which has not been revealed.
She added the school had reissued warnings about its use to pupils.
She told The Argus: "Two students have been excluded for a period of time from Davison High School following reports of their use of mephedrone. Following concerns about their behaviour, the students admitted their use of the substance during the school day.
"The school's response takes this admission into account, in line with the school's behaviour policy. Davison is working closely with these students and their families following this incident."
She added: "We are very concerned about the ease of availability of mephedrone, or meow meow, to young people and are sharing any information received on sources of the substance with the local police."
The revelation that pupils had been taking mephedrone emerged a week after police and local agencies in Worthing set up a local action team to deal with the rise in its use.
A Sussex Police spokesman said Inspector Allan Lowe, of the Worthing neighbourhood policing team, called a meeting to discuss the best way to deal with the increasing problem locally.
Peter Griffiths, West Sussex County Council's cabinet member for education and schools, said there was an urgent need for national guidance on mephedrone.
Comments(30)
BTIN
says...
9:52am Tue 30 Mar 10
Whitedot
says...
10:01am Tue 30 Mar 10
BTIN wrote:Erm, yes. Especially Friday after a 3 pint lunch then the bar downstairs opens for beer at our desks while we work.
I see what you are getting at but not during a school day while at school. Just like you wouldn't go out and get drunk and go back to work now would you
But I agree, naughty schoolkids should be punished and educated that all legal and illegal drugs are bad, m'kay?
ICantThinkOfAName
says...
10:16am Tue 30 Mar 10
corruptive wrote:I assume similar action would be taken if pupils were caught smoking on school premises.
how can they be suspended? Taking mephedrone is perfectly legal!
corruptive
says...
10:39am Tue 30 Mar 10
But not to take mephedrone.
I think these kids have a good case for the court of human rights @ strasbourg :)
Nyberg
says...
11:29am Tue 30 Mar 10
corruptive wrote:I doubt they would. You aren't allowed to attend school intoxicated or under the influence of drugs - legal or illegal, whether you are 18 or not.
Er, you have to be over 18 to drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes. But not to take mephedrone. I think these kids have a good case for the court of human rights @ strasbourg :)
I imagine that's why they were suspended.
cheezburger
says...
1:45pm Tue 30 Mar 10
corruptive
says...
2:01pm Tue 30 Mar 10
What next? Detention for eating crisps?
Murgatroyd
says...
3:14pm Tue 30 Mar 10
Fact is, this drug may kill people, crisps don't. The school has a legal duty under the safeguarding children legislation to try to stop its students from killing themselves.
davyboy
says...
3:28pm Tue 30 Mar 10
corruptive wrote:what a stupid comment! would you drive a car after taking it? if they attended school under the influence of anything, the school would have the right to suspend them. you are just trying to be inflammatory with a 'bibble-like', idiotic comment. all schools will have an anti-drug policy, and regardless of whether this drug is legal, schools do not want their pupils out of control. after all the recent stories about this drug you would think these kids would have more sense.
Er, you have to be over 18 to drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes.
But not to take mephedrone.
I think these kids have a good case for the court of human rights @ strasbourg :)
corruptive
says...
4:27pm Tue 30 Mar 10
DougM
says...
7:26pm Tue 30 Mar 10
corruptive wrote:Is that "most" as in "1"?
Well since most geography teachers these days seem to end up in communal bins (or so I read in the Argus), I don't think schools have any right to be taking the moral highground here!
EroThraX
says...
7:33pm Tue 30 Mar 10
corruptive wrote:It is perfectly legal to sniff solvents and glue as well but it is still substance abuse and the child would get suspended for that, it is no different in this situation. It is inappropriate behaviour for school.
Do schools, funded by the taxpayer, have the legal authoritay to make arbitrary rules and deny education to children? Simply because they've taken a legal substance?
What next? Detention for eating crisps?
corruptive
says...
7:41pm Tue 30 Mar 10
corruptive
says...
7:41pm Tue 30 Mar 10
ade1200
says...
10:36pm Tue 30 Mar 10
corruptive wrote:I hope you are not a parent. If you are then I feel sorry for your kids.
Er, you have to be over 18 to drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes.
But not to take mephedrone.
I think these kids have a good case for the court of human rights @ strasbourg :)
Acheron
says...
10:39pm Tue 30 Mar 10
corruptive wrote:Without wanting to seem picking, I think the evidence will be that they admitted to taking it, and doing so during the school day.
Well I just think it's a shame that Emily-Ann Elliot didn't interview the two girls in question to get their side of the story. I know trial by tabloid is great for selling papers, but we've not been presented with an ounce of proof that these girls took drugs at all.
Now they may be lying and trying to get 'a rep' at school, but they would be rather stupid for doing so.
And would they get a detention for eating crisps. Well if it was in my lesson and they had refused to put them away, then yes! They have break and lunchtime to eat, not during lesson time!
Mr Lahey
says...
11:02pm Tue 30 Mar 10
Acheron wrote:no-one says 'rep' any more...
corruptive wrote: Well I just think it's a shame that Emily-Ann Elliot didn't interview the two girls in question to get their side of the story. I know trial by tabloid is great for selling papers, but we've not been presented with an ounce of proof that these girls took drugs at all.Without wanting to seem picking, I think the evidence will be that they admitted to taking it, and doing so during the school day. Now they may be lying and trying to get 'a rep' at school, but they would be rather stupid for doing so. And would they get a detention for eating crisps. Well if it was in my lesson and they had refused to put them away, then yes! They have break and lunchtime to eat, not during lesson time!
and besides, if they we're caught doing it at school how are you going to tell anything but the truth if you're gurning all over your pencil case?
freewheelingdom
says...
12:27am Wed 31 Mar 10
ade1200
says...
12:40am Wed 31 Mar 10
freewheelingdom wrote:Wow what a sad life you lead. If there's no drugs you won't be happy? Sorry to hear that.
In the end we're all going to be like sheep: Eating veg'n fruit 3 times a day. Possibly a glass of milk and maybe some nuts. And we're going to sit around in a fields and stuff waiting for the Warlocks to come and eat us. We'll be healthy but where the heck is that going to get us. Let's all get stoned.
corruptive
says...
1:30am Wed 31 Mar 10
Tye
says...
7:48am Wed 31 Mar 10
Whitedot
says...
7:56am Wed 31 Mar 10
ade1200 wrote:You must be teetotal then, quite rare these days.
freewheelingdom wrote:Wow what a sad life you lead. If there's no drugs you won't be happy? Sorry to hear that.
In the end we're all going to be like sheep: Eating veg'n fruit 3 times a day. Possibly a glass of milk and maybe some nuts. And we're going to sit around in a fields and stuff waiting for the Warlocks to come and eat us. We'll be healthy but where the heck is that going to get us. Let's all get stoned.
Old Ladys Gin
says...
9:35am Wed 31 Mar 10
And yes I believe the school is perfectly entitled to dictate behaviour on and off the premises, the armed forces have a similar policy.
Given what occurred at Victoria station last week I can only think that a very tight grip needs to be kept.
corruptive
says...
11:36am Wed 31 Mar 10
Old Ladys Gin
says...
12:12pm Wed 31 Mar 10
But I do think that any organisation has a right to dictate how those it holds jurisdiction over behave.
I am not one of those that believes the world is a worse place, or more violent than it used to be; articles printed on this website support the view that things are much better now.
But if that school decides to go down a certain road of discipline, then that is that, if the parents or children don't like it then they can leave, that is free will.
By the you do not know how anyone else 'can only think that' nor do you know what other people are thinking.
Neither should an adverse comment or a bit of discipline turn anyone to drugs. That particular course is self determined, by the individual. It's not the place it's the person.
corruptive
says...
12:50pm Wed 31 Mar 10
She-Ra, Princess Of Power
says...
1:16pm Wed 31 Mar 10
Hahaha, hahaha, hahaha, etc, etc.
They were off their faces at school, since when was that ok?!
Doesn't matter if it's legal or not - they can be suspended for their behaviour, which it seems they were.
I hope the time out will help them understand the seriousness of this and that putting plant fertilizer into your body can only lead to bad things...
Lil
says...
1:19pm Wed 31 Mar 10
corruptive wrote:Well, find another school then.
You can't leave school of your own free will! Attendance at school is compulsary and parents can be jailed these days if they let their kids mitch off!
And I'm not sure many parents would be particularly pleased to hear their child had taken a drug, illegal or not.
I can't imagine many parents saying "You suspended my child for taking a legal drug which is known to change behaviour and emotional response and is likely to be banned in a few months? How dare you! It's my child's right to be off their t!ts during school, we're going somewhere else where they can get really smacked off their..."
Not likely is it. The school is in a catch 22, give the children a sound ticking off, doesn't send a strong message to others. Suspend the child, it'll likely nip it in the bud for them and also send a strong message to others.
I'm not sure if you have children, but if you did, and they were sent home from school for taking mephedrone, would you actually be in the Headmaster's office complaining they should be able to and that you don't mind your child abusing a substance?
corruptive
says...
3:44pm Wed 31 Mar 10
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corruptive says...
9:48am Tue 30 Mar 10