Student Drug Testing Policy
Rationale
The Headmaster and School Council of The Southport School have a strong commitment to ensure the safety and
good health of all our boys. Any level of illegal drug experimentation threatens the health and safety of the boys
involved.
We recognise that some teenagers are tempted to experiment with drugs. As a school which stays up to date with
research on brain development and adolescent health we are aware of the damage drugs can do to the developing
adolescent brain, including reducing IQ (research published January 2013). We know that some people will have
psychotic episodes after marijuana use, and research shows that drugs like marijuana reduce concentration, memory
and motivation levels.
Due to our extra-curricular and sporting program, prevailing family values, Christian ethos, and existing drug
education, relatively few TSS boys experiment with drugs. However we want to do our best to ensure all our boys
are drug free. We must be realistic and acknowledge that drugs are an ever-present element of society and that we
cannot just sit back and hope that somehow our boys will remain forever immune to this threat.
It is therefore our desire to further strengthen our anti-drug regime to prevent drug experimentation by our
students.
To this end, and as part of our School initiatives on leadership development and boys’ mental health, we have been
strongly encouraged by our parents and the boys themselves to take a leadership position on this issue and to have
our boys commit to be ‘drug free’. To demonstrate this commitment we are asking that students commit to being
drug free, and their parents’ consent to the boys being randomly drug tested. Such drug testing is standard practice
across a wide range of occupations where our boys will work post-school. Some of our boys are already being drug
tested due to their status as State or National level athletes, rowers or swimmers.
The School Council and I have been strongly supported in taking this leadership step at every parent forum where
it has been explained, including P&F meetings and the Boarder Parent Support Group. Drug testing has also been
discussed at all of the student Year Group Leadership meetings and there has been overwhelming support from the
boys themselves, in all secondary Year levels.
At the Student Representative Council in 2012, the boys voted unanimously for drug testing with the motion…
“We want to take strong action to discourage all boys from using or experimenting with drugs. We want to provide
boys with a strong reason to say ‘No’ so that they are better able to immediately refuse to get involved with drug
experimentation. We want to be a drug free community”. In the many conversations I have had with boys over this
matter it is very clear that they do not want drugs in their School, and they want a clear message sent by this policy
that drug experimentation is unacceptable.
We believe, and the boys confirm, that having this extra reason to say ‘No’ will help boys stand up to any pressure to
try drugs. (For example … “I’ve made a commitment to stay drug free” … “If I test positive I will be in real trouble
with my parents and the School”.)
Anglican
Church of Australia
Winchester Street, Southport 4215 Queensland, Australia
Telephone: +61 7 5531 9911 Facsimile: +61 7 5531 9977
Website: www.tss.qld.edu.au
The Corporation of the Synod of the Diocese of Brisbane
trading as The Southport School.
CRICOS: 00523F ABN: 67 004 140 025
...Learning to Lead
This new policy is designed to be compassionate as it includes a non-punitive, counselling stage. Should a boy test
positive, in the first instance, it will be treated as a confidential counselling matter between the boy, the Headmaster
and the parents. Help, counselling and a second chance will be offered. Should a boy test positive again, it will be
assumed he is not serious about being part of a drug free community and he will forfeit his place at the School. The
boys do not want their mates expelled; they want them not to experiment in the first place.
A small number of parents have commented that they feel this matter is more a family matter than a school matter.
The Headmaster answered that in his experience in meeting with parents whose son had experimented or regularly
used drugs, over seventy five percent of these parents had no idea about the son’s use of drugs. When the parent
forum was made aware of this statistic, parents agreed that they would appreciate the School’s assistance in keeping
their son drug free.
During discussions with the boys, some asked why the School is taking responsibility, and holding boys accountable,
for activities outside school hours. The Headmaster’s answer was simple: “TSS is not a normal 9am to 3pm, five
day a week school. TSS requires a large degree of ‘buy in’, of active involvement. It is more of a ‘community’ than
a ‘school’, and as such, community members keep an eye out for each other and care for each other, all the time. In
fact we strongly encourage this as part of our Christian ethos and it is part of why we have such great spirit at The
Southport School. If I hear about any of our boys being involved in activities which put them at serious risk, I feel I
have no option but to act, even if the activities occur outside school hours.”
Drugs do harm, they reduce concentration and motivation, they can do serious damage, they are illegal, and we
cannot just sit back and do nothing, even if it may be “only a few boys experimenting on the weekend or during
holidays”.
Also, there is no doubt that the boys influence each other’s behaviour, particularly during adolescence. If one or
two boys in a group experiment with drugs, they will likely influence others in the group. If we have no boys
experimenting, then the peer pressure works in a positive manner for the boys.
We believe this drug testing program shows the leadership expected of TSS, it is pro-actively designed to provide an
optimum level of protection for the boys, it provides an opportunity for parents to be involved in helping their son,
and this program is ultimately in the best interests of the boys.
Students Eligible for Testing
All secondary students, Year 7 to 12, are subject to the provisions of the TSS drug testing policy. All parents and/
or legal guardians of these students shall be required to sign a parental/guardian consent form granting the School
permission to drug test their boy at any time during school hours whilst the boy is a duly enrolled member of the
School.
The testing of students shall usually be random in nature, with one exception being the more regular testing of a
student after an initial positive result. More rarely there may be testing of a student on the basis of student welfare
or health concerns, as decided by the Headmaster in consultation with the parents.
Random sampling will entail, for example, random selection of a House Mentor Group, a sporting team, a Year
group from several House and/or random selection of student numbers. Generally more senior Year students will be
tested than younger Years.
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Procedures for Testing
1. A duly certified drug testing technicians from a pathology company shall be responsible for the collection and
labelling of urine or hair samples.
2. Labels that include an identifying code (Initials only, not the full name) shall be used to identify urine and hair
samples that go to the laboratory.
3. For urine sampling, the student will be in the toilet cubicle by himself. The door will be shut completely with
no other person in the cubicle.
4. The Headmaster shall be present with the pathology technician(s) near where the samples are being collected.
Only the Headmaster will be made aware of a positive test. A second school officer will supervise the waiting
students around the corner from the cubicles.
5. Students will be asked if they are taking any medication currently, or recently. For example, ADHD medication
as this will show up on the sample bottle indicator as a positive test result. A positive test result here will be
assumed by the Headmaster to be due to the legal medication. Such samples will go to the pathology laboratory
for further testing where any non-medication type stimulant drugs can be detected.
6. Specimen bottles and packaging provided by the pathology company shall be utilized to properly obtain and
transport samples.
7. Urine and hair samples shall be analysed for any illegal substance by the pathology company.
8. The Headmaster, only, will be advised of the student identifying code of any initial positive result about twenty
minutes after testing (see Effect of Positive Result below). The samples will then be taken to the pathology
laboratory for more detailed testing.
9. The Headmaster only will be notified of the identifying code of any subsequent positive test from the
laboratory.
10. Failure and/or refusal to provide an initial urine sample, without some reasonable explanation, shall be deemed
to be evidence of a positive result and the School is then at liberty to deal with that student, in a counselling
manner, as if a positive first result had been obtained (see below).
11. After a student has yielded a positive initial test result and the counselling and communication with parents
has occurred, failure and/or refusal to provide the required more regular sample for testing, without some
reasonable explanation, shall be deemed to be evidence of a second positive test result (see below).
12. It is recognised that on rare occasions ‘false positives’ can occur on the urine sample bottle indicators. Should
a student deny drug use after an initial urine sample bottle indicates a positive result, the Headmaster will
assume the student is being honest, that it is a false positive, and no further steps will be taken until the sample
is analysed in the pathology laboratory, which will verify accurately a positive or negative result.
Substances to be Tested for
The School is at liberty to test for any illegal substance, taken through injection, orally or by any other means.
Generally, we are testing for the metabolites of cannabinols (marijuana), amphetamines/methamphetamines (speed,
ice, Ecstasy), benzodiazepines, cocaine, opiates and designer drugs.
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Effect of Positive Result
After notification by the pathology staff of a positive result, the Headmaster will make arrangements to meet
confidentially with the student for a conversation of a counselling nature to convey the result and to talk through any
extenuating circumstances.
The Headmaster and boy will discuss, in a counselling manner, how best to notify the parents (notification of parents
is a mandatory step in this policy).
A meeting of the boy, Headmaster and parents will be arranged. A telephone call will be held if such a meeting is
difficult to arrange. Here it will be explained that to remain at the School, the boy must commit to being drug free for
his remaining time at the School, and he and his parents must agree to more regular drug testing to demonstrate his
commitment, and to assist him by providing a strong reason to remaining drug free. Appropriate drug counselling,
psychological assistance and/or other help and guidance may be arranged in consultation with the parents.
This policy shall remain the same regardless of whether the student is a day boy, or member of the boarding School
community.
The results of any drug test shall not be delivered and/or released to any other third party without the consent of the
student and the parent/guardian of the student. (see below)
Request for Retest
A student or parent can request, upon being notified of a positive test result, that a second test (urine or blood test)
be undertaken. The procedure for the provision of the test results remains the same as for the initial screening
results. Such a test counts as a first test. The results shall then be provided to the student and his parents and/or legal
guardians.
Privacy - Release of Results
The privacy of the student is paramount. All results are confidential and may not be used or received in evidence,
obtained in Court discovery, or disclosed in any public or private proceeding unless student, the student’s parents and/
or legal guardians and the School all consent in writing to do so.
Second Positive Test
Upon the receipt by the Headmaster of particulars of a second positive result relating to a student, the Headmaster
shall arrange a meeting with the student and his parents and/or his legal guardians to advise all parties of the
second positive result. The student and parents will be given an opportunity to respond and explain any mitigating
circumstances. If it is judged by the Headmaster that the student has continued to use drugs after the first test then the
student’s right of enrolment at the School shall thereafter be immediately withdrawn. The student shall have the right
to a retest of their second positive result, however the student has no right of appeal subsequent to any retest again
returning a positive result.
Illegal Drugs at School
Unlike the counselling/corrective approach taken when an initial positive drug test occurs under the above drug
testing program, direct involvement with illegal drugs at or near the School is a most serious breech which usually
results in expulsion.
A student who brings illegal drugs to school, is in possession of (or buys, obtains, supplies or receives) drugs at
school, or uses drugs at school (or any of these activities near the school) will be invited, with his parents, to attend
a ‘show cause’ meeting to explain the facts and show cause as to why the School may consider allowing the boy
to stay at TSS. However, unless there exists some clear mitigating circumstances, the student’s enrolment will be
withdrawn.
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