Two students at Gymea Technology High School were admitted to hospital within a couple of weeks of each other, following drug-related incidents at the school.
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The two incidents happened on February 17 and March 2.
A parent of one of the students is seeking answers after the school allegedly failed to follow procedure – neglecting to get police involved after the February drama.
He said if the correct procedures had been followed after the first incident the second might not have occurred.
In the earlier incident, a Year 9 student ended up in hospital for nearly five hours after taking what was later found to be a restricted ADHD drug, allegedly offered by another student.
It is understood at least three students were involved.
The girl was admitted to hospital when she reacted badly to the drug – hyper ventilating and then experiencing difficulty breathing.
In the second drug-related incident at the school two weeks later, another student also ended up in hospital before being released, police confirmed.
According to NSW Department of Education procedures, schools must report drug-related incidents to police immediately.
Sutherland police Inspector Jeff Dean said the school only reported the second episode.
“There have been two incidents but the first has not been reported,” Inspector Dean told the Leader.
Inspector Dean said the police youth liaison officer had since heard about what happened at the school in the earlier case but police were only investigating the second incident.
“[The first] still has not formally been reported,” he said.
However, the NSW Department of Education denied the allegation the school had not reported the first incident.
The department maintains it had contacted police on both occasions.
“The school contacted police on both occasions to report the incidents and liaised directly with the school youth liaison officer,” a Department of Education spokesperson said.
“Gymea Technology High School does not tolerate the supply and consumption of illicit substances, including not-prescribed medications. Incidents of this nature will be reported to police.”
The department did not reveal what action the school had taken against the students involved, but said the students had been dealt with.
A parent, who did not want to be named, said his daughter received a 20-day suspension from the school after taking an ADHD drug offered her by another student.
He said he was less concerned about the punishment, but was shocked that the school hadn’t followed proper procedures to stop similar incidents happening again in the future.
“I was shocked to hear the school didn’t get police involved,” he said. “Three days after the incident the school told us she had been suspended. They would be taking the matter to police.”
He said he expected to get a call from police but did not.
After a couple of weeks he went to the police himself and said he was told the incident had not been reported.
“We have now missed the opportunity to charge this person [who gave my daughter a restricted, prescription drug],” he said.