UPDATE: Narcotics dog to be stationed at Ashton school gate

Following the recent expulsion of two pupils for the exchange and use of cannabis oil on school grounds, Ashton International College Ballito is to position a narcotics sniffer dog at the school entrance.

Posh, a fully trained two-year-old narcotics German Shepherd, will undergo a month of training with gate guard Isaac Nyaba before taking up her place next year.

The school has been in the spotlight this month following two expulsions.

In October, a Grade 10 pupil was given a syringe of cannabis resin from her mother, then gave it to a grade 11 boy who, with two other boys, used it in a school bathroom in full view of younger children.

Senior college principal Jenny van Buuren confirmed that the grade 10 girl and grade 11 boy had been expelled following disciplinary processes and appeals.

The mother of the Grade 10 pupil, Lisa Lockhart, accused the school of double standards, claiming that other, similar contraventions of the school’s code of conduct did not result in expulsions.

Also read: Ballito cannabis-oil shops exploit ‘gray area’ of law

Lockhart agreed to the use of her and her 16-year-old daughter Hunter’s names “because I want to show the world that I stand behind my daughter”.

She said, “We are not disputing the punishment, we accept it. What I am asking is why have other children been given warnings when Hunter, with not a single disciplinary mark against her, is immediately expelled?”

She was referring to an incident when a group of boys were caught in possession of a water-pipe ‘bong’ on school premises.

The boys in question were tested, some of whom showed positive results for cannabis, she claims, however no expulsions were carried out.

“Hunter tested negative – she never used the stuff. Both she and I were naïve and made a stupid, stupid, mistake. But why must she pay such a high price?”

Van Buuren said the crux of the current case was that Lockhart had brought an illegal substance to school and distributed it to another minor, who in turn used it on school property.

Lockhart in turn said her daughter was being treated like a drug dealer.

“The oil was left over from when my dad had prostate cancer. It was not for the purposes of getting high – it just makes people sleepy,” said Lockhart.

“The boys had heard about it and asked Hunter to bring it for them. I should never have given it to her, but it was just a naive mistake.”

However, according to Van Buuren before the verdict was read in the expulsion cases the oil was sent for testing.

Tests revealed that the thick, black resin within the syringe contained CBD 3,76%; Cannabinol (CBN) 1,26% and THC (43,79%) a total of 48,81%.

THC is the active ingredient in cannabis that causes the “high” sensation.

The THC content in this oil was particularly high. However, Lockhart questions the chain of custody for the product saying anything could have been slipped in before the tests were carried out.

Van Buuren stressed that Ashton did not reveal the identities of any of the minors involved. She said they stand by the disciplinary processes.

“The very day of one of the hearings, we read of four students in Gauteng who died after taking Spice (artificial marijuana). We have very young kids playing around here who could pick up a syringe as a toy.”

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