Student expelled after drugs test

By Sarah Chambers

A STUDENT has been expelled from a top public school in Suffolk after admitting drug-taking during a weekend away.

Framlingham College head Gwen Randall stressed that the incident happened while he was not in the school and not in its care.

“We have had no drugs on the premises,” she said.

At the same time, Mrs Randall criticised the Government's decision to downgrade cannabis to a class C drug as presenting “a mixed message”.

Mrs Randall explained that the 18-year-old student had been given a second chance by the school after involvement in drugs as a young teenager, and up until now he had not transgressed.

He was allowed to attend the school on the strict understanding that he underwent random drugs testing, which had been carried out on a regular basis ever since. All of the tests had been negative until the latest one.

“Very sadly this Monday he tested positive,” she said.

The student immediately admitted what he had done, explaining it happened while in London when he went to a rave, she said.

“Late at night he was clearly subjected to considerable pressure from a drug dealer,” she said.

The school had a “very clear” drugs policy, she said.

“Any pupil who has taken any illegal drug forfeits the automatic right to remain at college,” she said.

“In certain circumstances we may be able to give a student who has experimented with drugs a second chance.”

She described it as “a tragedy” for the student concerned.

“We do give second chances to particular people – he was one of them,” she explained. “This is the first time a second chance student has transgressed and I'm really sorry it has happened to this particular boy.”

She criticised the imminent change in the cannabis law, saying it would make their job harder.

“I think this is making our job ten times worse,” she said.

“I feel very angry about it because schools have enough of a problem with this already.”