By ANEEKA SIMONIS
A PRIMARY school in Kooweerup has scrapped a Year four and five assignment about illegal drugs following a parent complaint.
Students as young as nine were tasked with forming a debate around the legalisation of medical marijuana at Kooweerup Primary School last month.
The Gazette understands the assignment was scrapped by teachers after it was brought to the attention of a dismayed parent.
Principal Fiona Pratt said the students elected the assignment themselves which was known and approved by the Senior School Team Leader.
“As part of our school-wide health and wellbeing focus throughout Term 4, our senior students were tasked with holding a debate on a current health issue in the media,” she said.
“The students were allowed to select their own topic and chose to debate the legalisation of medicinal marijuana.”
It is believed the school organised a meeting with the concerned parent but decided to scratch the assignment before the parties met.
“Our staff felt it was not appropriate for primary school-aged students (and) made a decision to change the topic,” Ms Pratt said.
CEO of Life Education Michelle Wood said the nationwide health and drug educator “does not focus on illegal drugs” education but does touch on the issue as it is raised by kids who are generally around 11 or 12 years of age.
“The reality is children are hearing more about drugs at a young age through the media and access to the internet,” she said.
“We believe schools know and understand their students. We need to invest our trust in classroom teachers to know when it is the right time to have a conversation with students about different issues.”
She said there is no age limit to teaching kids how to develop a resilience to peer pressure as well as learn about their own health and safety.
“Essentially children need to be taught at a very, very young age about being safe and healthy and understand that substances available aren’t always safe and healthy,” Ms Wood said.
The debate topic has been replaced by whether or not children should spend more time at school.
