Features
Primary school coke hoax bittersweet
Adrian Taylor 3rd March 2010
Two primary school boys with a bag of icing sugar sparked a cocaine scare.
TWO boys with a bag of icing sugar sparked a hard drugs scare at a Rockhampton primary school.
Details have emerged of how a harmless prank led to the youngsters being suspended from school for telling their chums they had cocaine in a small plastic bag.
The principal asked the school's linked police officer – or Adopt-a-cop – to speak to the children and their parents after it had been established that the white substance was not a potential killer.
But Tuesday a furious parent attacked the school for failing to keep anxious families informed as rumours spread that children had been offered Class A drugs by fellow pupils.
The angry mum said until The Morning Bulletin was able to inform her that the matter had been investigated and no evidence of drugs was found, she feared the worst.
“It's a very strong rumour that two year 7 boys were caught in school with cocaine. We knew that the boys had been suspended from school for three days and I was very worried that it was an inadequate punishment for such a serious offence.”
She said she was highly concerned about a lack of information or official comment from the school.
“There are lots of vulnerable children there who could have easily been influenced to try something potentially harmful. I really think there's been an attempt to sweep the whole thing under the table and pretend it didn't happen but all that has done is allowed rumours to fester.
“It's the principal's duty to write to parents to explain what happened, what punishment was given and why.
“My confidence in the school has been shattered.”
The Morning Bulletin understands that the two boys were given a severe talking to by the police officer in the presence of their parents so they understood just how serious a matter it was.
The officer apparently found there was nothing in the family backgrounds of either boy linked to drugs and they were satisfied it was nothing more than a prank involving icing sugar.
A spokesman for Rockhampton Police said yesterday cocaine was not a common drug in the city.
The Morning Bulletin has decided not to name the specific school to protect the identity of the children involved in the incident.
Education Queensland said it preferred not to comment but supported the way the principal had handled the issue.
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Recent comments on this article
What I'm concerned about is the fact that 11/12 yr olds even know what drugs look like! This is a major concern in itself!
what is wrong with this school? If instead of pretend drugs they were selling real drugs, would they get 5 days suspension and no dinner? pathetic
Everybody needs to take a deep breath. Kids pull stupid pranks all the time, usually inspired by something they saw on TV. What these kids did was cheeky, not criminal. I'm glad the adopt-a-cop gave them a bit of a scare, but the 3 day suspension was completely unnecessary.
There are so many schools in places like Sydney where it would have actually been real cocaine, and this kind of thing would be common. And here we are working ourselves into a lather over an icing sugar prank.
Even good kids do stupid things. Give them a break, and take a cold shower.
OMG drugs! Quick everyone put their head in the sand!
Sooo....two kids take some harmless icing sugar to school...they get reprimanded by the cops - in front of their parents! - and suspended from school and this mum is still in hysterics? She doesn't trust the school anymore, even though they more than adequately addressed the issue?
it wasn't icing sugar if it were on of the kids wouldn't of tested positive for drugs it wouldn't of been off white and crystal like this here is a coverupo for the truth both kids should have been expelled Allenstown is going downhill fast!