Cannabis at school - 5 kids in strife

Mr Taylor did not know in what form the cannabis was, or where the boy obtained it. File photo / NZ Herald

Five intermediate-age children have been suspended for bringing cannabis to a highly regarded small country school south of Auckland.

Awhitu District School principal Eric Taylor last night described the incident as minor, and said he did not think the children - all boys aged 12 and 13 - had smoked what he said was a small amount of the drug.

But he confirmed that the boys had been suspended for the past three days.

"The police are involved. They are just scaring the kids - they won't touch it again, you can guarantee it."

Mr Taylor said he expected the boys would be allowed back in class today or tomorrow, now that he had spoken to their parents.

He said the "tiny bit" of cannabis had been brought to the school, which has about 120 primary- and intermediate-aged children, by a boy who was new to the district and was trying to impress his classmates by showing it around.

"A stupid little boy did something stupid and it's been dealt with - I hope this doesn't destroy our school, mate."

Mr Taylor did not know in what form the cannabis was, or where the boy obtained it. "It was just told to me by the kids that so-and-so is being stupid down the back."

School board chairman Brian Hamilton is overseas and could not be contacted.

His wife, Maree, said she was pleased the school had acted promptly to let the boys know that possessing cannabis was a crime.

But, she said, "it was a purely innocent thing that these kids thought they could skite - they obviously got hold of it from goodness knows where and they were caught out."

Mrs Hamilton did not know of any other such incidents at what she described as an "awesome little school" with one of New Zealand's top Education Review Office reports.

"It's a real shame because it gives a school a bad name, and yet you can't get your kids to go to a better school," she said.

In its latest report on Awhitu District School, in mid-2009, the review office said the trustees, managers and teachers worked collaboratively to provide a high-quality learning environment for its children.

"The school is the centre of the local community," it said.

"It is well-supported by a proactive parent-teacher association.

"The board, staff and students are proud of their school and share the belief that Awhitu District School is a place where children will excel in their learning."