NEWS: Herald Sun - 05/06/07 'Boy expelled over ecstasy deal'

[Nwalmaer]

wow I cant beleave he was stupid enough to sell 2 pills to a yr9 student at school

I mean didnt it seem obvious the kid would probly drop them at school as all kids trying to show off to there mates do

 

[hoptis]

Report all drug crime
Mary Papadakis
June 10, 2007 12:00am

PRIVATE schools that conceal crimes to protect their reputations could be charged by police following the Scotch College drugs scandal.

Detective Senior-Sergeant Daryl Cullen, of Boroondara police, called on elite schools to report crimes involving students to police immediately or risk being prosecuted.

The warning comes as schools have revealed students are "coming down" in the classroom on Mondays after weekend drug and alcohol binges.

Teachers are being confronted by students as young as Year 7 battling alcoholic hangovers, marijuana "bong-overs" and the hazy aftermath of designer party drugs.

Adolescent psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg said many teenagers turned up to school sleep deprived and spaced out.

"There's no question Saturdays and Sundays are party days," he said.

Det Sen-Sgt Cullen said while private schools were not legally required to report drug-related incidents to police, they could be breaching section 326 of the Crimes Act if they hid incidents for a "benefit."

He plans to seek legal advice on the section.

"(The benefit) may be a school trying to protect its image and financial income stream," he said.

"You don't spend $20,000 (in fees) to send your kid to a drug haven."

But Det Sen-Sgt Cullen said police were satisfied Scotch had acted appropriately despite a week-long delay in reporting a drug incident to police.

A Year 12 student allegedly sold a Year 9 student two ecstasy pills which he took while at school.

Xavier College came under fire in April for failing to tell police it had expelled a Year 11 student for selling marijuana at school.

Sen Det-Sgt Cullen said elite schools had a duty to report incidents to ensure students realised they were not above the law.

Sunday Herald Sun

 

[hoptis]

Scot-free on drugs
Mary Papadakis
June 17, 2007 12:00am

A SCOTCH College student at the centre of a drugs scandal will not be charged by police.

The year 12 student was released with a caution by police after being interviewed by Boroondara officers on Thursday night.

The teenager lashed out when approached by the Sunday Herald Sun for comment after leaving the police station, verbally and physically threatening a journalist and photographer, who was chased along Harp Rd in Kew.

A male with the teenager, believed to be his father, was unable to restrain him and police had to intervene.

The teenager's family refused to comment when contacted several times by the Sunday Herald Sun this week.

Scotch College has also refused to comment on the incident involving the sale of drugs to a year 9 student at the elite Hawthorn school about three weeks ago.

Boroondara Criminal Investigation Unit's Det Sen-Sgt Daryl Cullen this week said the teenager had been released with a caution.

Det Sen-Sgt Cullen said that, while drugs offences were of a serious nature, young people made mistakes and police had options including diversionary programs and cautions available to them to use when appropriate.

"We won't be pursuing this any further," he said.

"In this case, this (a caution) is the most appropriate manner of dealing with it.

"The main concern is for the welfare of the victim and offender and to ensure the problem is eradicated in all schools."

Det Sen-Sgt Cullen said the teenager had been truthful and co-operative with police.

He said while it had been widely reported that ecstasy was the drug involved in the scandal, police were not sure of the type of drug as it had been consumed, destroying any evidence.

Private schools are not legally obliged to report drug-related incidents to police, unlike government schools.

But Det Sen-Sgt Cullen said it was in the best interests of private schools to have police deal with any crime and set a good example for students.

Herald Sun

 

[PsiloSubNaut]

We had problem's with shrooms growing on our oval in high school, heaps of students (mainly males yr 9-12) were taking them and tripping out in class.

The school knew but just ignored the entire thing..

Same with kids getting busted for selling thier meds and street drugs at school, it rarely got past the teachers and students involved but can you blame them?

Who really wants cops and the media prying into thier schools about something they can't control anyway?

 

[psytaco]

I know this doesn't get said much on this site, but you have to prasie the police for their level headed response to this particular case. A formal caution is, in my opinion, the best response.
The Herald Sun should be ashamed of itself for intervening in the internal issues of schools and making minors subject to the attention of the criminal justice system. A criminal record would have fucked this kids life up.

 

[lil angel15]

Well said psytaco.

I don't think we can expect much more from the likes of the Herald Sun or the majority of other media outlets within this country. The police reaction to this matter must be commended and the youth involved should be counting his lucky stars.

 

[hyroller]

the sensationalism is quite unnecessary though. treating such issues in that manner is what leads to the rather misguided views of drug takers in this country and drug taking as a whole.