CHIEF EDUCATION OFFICER Wendy Griffith- Watson has warned educators that they need to pay close attention to the Education Act, when dealing with the issue of drugs in schools.She pointed to the importance of such an approach given that the society was largely dominated by gossip.

Griffith-Watson made the point while addressing primary school principals at a National Council On Substance Abuse (NCSA) workshop last Wednesday.

She said part of the problem was that there were still a lot of myths about "drugs" – and teachers needed to be well educated on this issue.

The education chief noted that "whereas in the school system a lot of bad behaviour was associated with drug-taking, all
bad behaviour was not drug induced".

She also cautioned principals that when they saw a child constantly misbehaving, it didn't necessarily mean he/she was on drugs.

"His eyes may be red – but he may have allergies. We need to be informed and not highly emotional," she said.

Griffith-Watson said the Education Act, changed 20 years ago, allowed teachers to search children, once the right procedures were followed.

"Indeed it is always easier to say to a 'child in front of a witness, empty your pockets'," she added.

The chief said calling the police was also another alternative to dealing with any drug problem and queried whether a child who had been charged with possession of drugs or selling should be allowed back in school, and if so, under what conditions.

"Schools need to decide what happens to first offenders, second and third offenders who are addicts and whether or not it is ethical to use corporal punishment on a drug addict," she said, warning that such an approach could have terrible repercussions.

"At what point do we really say, 'this child needs to go to another institution' ?" she asked.

Griffith-Watson also called for a system of referral which would require teachers to report any suspicious changes in their students. (CT)