Alcohol in Schools ?

[colinicky]

Ok my Daughter is in Lower 6th form age 16 . Today they had a celebration during a break, in school time for their GCSE results & alcohol was supplied by the school .My daughter has tried various drinks in the past but does not like any alcohol .
A few things arose from this "celebration " .

No alternative to the alcohol
As said some of them were only 16 so not certain about the legality of it in school time
A TEACHER told my daughter that she should drink because it was etiquette !

I have no problem with them celebrating the results , but I do object to the school/ Teacher encouraging (virtually forcing) teenagers to drink !

What do others think ?

[Craby]

wow,not very good really,yes i know it goes on

and yes i went out drinkin at 16

but i dont think the school is rite to encourage teanagers to drink

and what message does that send to the lower school??

dont think i would like it to happen in my sons school

not that he would drink it as like your daughter he doesnt like it

not even alchopops

[chrisch]

Originally Posted by colinicky

...

What do others think ?

I would think if you kick off about it several people at the school could (should ?) lose their jobs. What if there were Muslim pupils? Did the school get parental consent for under 18s to drink.

Colin, I would shop the bastards to the LEA if I were you. (But I am a trouble-maker..)

Chris (supping a nice beer as I type and no hassle with kids drinking whatsoever...)

[e14724]

I'd be right down there for a kick off!!

[SilvaFish]

I, personally, would shop them to the LEA. And write to the local paper.

As others have said, where were the choices for pupils who don't drink, whether by personal choice or religion?

As for this particular teacher, head on poles please.

[gwilson]

Thats shocking no non alcoholic drinks, what were they meant to mix their vodkas with?

If I was a parent and that was happening at my childs school i would be in seeing the headteacher and writing letters to LEA and the schools governers. Kids do not need encouraging to drink

[Scubee]

Originally Posted by colinicky

Ok my Daughter is in Lower 6th form age 16 . Today they had a celebration during a break, in school time for their GCSE results & alcohol was supplied by the school .My daughter has tried various drinks in the past but does not like any alcohol .
A few things arose from this "celebration " .

No alternative to the alcohol
As said some of them were only 16 so not certain about the legality of it in school time
A TEACHER told my daughter that she should drink because it was etiquette !

I have no problem with them celebrating the results , but I do object to the school/ Teacher encouraging (virtually forcing) teenagers to drink !

What do others think ?

I do believe that at my school leavers party (after upper 6th) there was alcohol - wine, I think, (probably black tower ) supplied by the school. Virtually everyone there was 16/17/18. The amount was strictly controlled, so I don't think it is that unusual. However, the big problem is that there was no alternative. Talk about discrimination!
If the pupils are being persuaded to drink, that isn't on, but i am sure that small amounts have been given to pupils for years.
I don't know the legalities of the licence, but I *think* that if alcohol is bought for people below a certain age, it is fine, if it is to go with a meal.

[Adrian Kelland]

Very odd thing to do, not give the option to refuse.

Adrian

[Arfie]

Originally Posted by colinicky

A TEACHER told my daughter that she should drink because it was etiquette !

It's also etiquette not to use peer pressure on kids.

Personally as a teetotaller, I'd be down there playing merry hell with the teacher, and the head.

I think it's legal for kids to drink wine with a meal in restaurants I think from about age 14 and they can drink in your home, but in a school? surely not? In fact I would have thought in this day and age there is zero tolerance for the presence of alcohol and drugs on the premises whether in the possession of a student or teacher, so the alcohol shouldn't even be in the school in the first place.

Mind you more than half the teachers I know (including my ex and her friends) are smoking dope regularly, so I'm not surprised by this at all.

Arfie

[chrisch]

During their school years children and young people make the transition from being abstainers or very irregular drinkers, usually supervised by adults, to drinking independently like adults. 16-24 year olds have the highest levels of alcohol consumption of the population. Schools have a crucial role to play in preparing children to live in an alcohol-using society and to help them cope with alcohol-related situations they face now.

My emphasis.

See: Alcohol Concern. Reducing alcohol misuse, supporting treatment providing information

Chris