Students at the prestigious Melbourne Girls Grammar have been suspended, with one expelled from the high school, after being caught in possession of drugs at a school formal.
The event took place on Friday night at Albert Park event space The Park. The girls were acting suspiciously in the bathroom, and when the principal investigated, the girls were found to be in possession of ecstasy, weed and booze. News Corp reported one girl in particular had a “significant” number of pills.
Melbourne Girls Grammar is one of the most expensive schools in Australia, with annual fees of over $30,000 for year 11 & 12 students.
Principal Catherine Mission told News Corp the students were “isolated” at the event, their parents were notified, and disciplinary action was taken.
Speaking to ABC Radio, Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton wasn’t entirely happy with the school’s hard line.
"One of the benefits is we do have diversion programs for low-level drug possession, which are non-conviction based referrals.
"It's a case of us trying to be there to assist in these sorts of cases where young people are experimenting with drugs ... The more support that schools can put around the students the better."
He then went on to say a supportive school or family would be more beneficial than tough discipline in these matters.
Allow us to step out of character here and side with the police on this one – is anyone surprised a couple of teenagers had drugs at a formal? Education around drugs would be more beneficial than time spent at home with nothing to do.
