Schools fight drug, drink problems

Bethany Hiatt Education EditorThe West Australian Principals say problems from unsupervised parties where teenagers binge-drink, use drugs or have unprotected sex are spilling into schools.

An Australian National Council on Drugs report released yesterday after a survey of 218 public and private school principals said student use of alcohol and drugs outside school was having a

significant effect on performance and behaviour at school. Students who drank alcohol and used other drugs came to school late, tired and often with a poor attitude, leading to disruptive

behaviour. One principal noted unsupervised parties as significant. "Fallout the next week can be major," he said. "Unprotected sex, extreme drunkenness, drug use."

Principals said they needed more support and resources to teach about drug and alcohol use but most opposed drug-testing in schools. Australian Secondary Principals' Association

president Rob Nairn said the report highlighted the correlation between mental health issues, cyber bullying and substance abuse among a small proportion of students. It noted

principals' concerns that some students' behaviour was condoned tacitly by parents because they allowed alcohol at under-age parties. WA Secondary School Executives Association

president Janette Gee said the research did not reveal new information because there had always been students who partied at weekends. But risk taking had increased among a minority of

youths. "Certainly if students have been partying they are not usually wanting to give attention to school work," she said. Ms Gee said the increase of mental health issues

associated with drug and alcohol use was also putting considerable strain on schools. She said all WA schools had access to teacher resources from the School Drug Education and Road Aware

group. 'Drug and alcohol use is putting considerable strain on schools.' "School executives representative *Janette Gee * GET THE LATEST NEWS FROM THEWEST.COM.AU IN YOUR

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