A drugs investigation by a top North Shore school has led to 12 students being excluded, after it revealed they were using and supplying cannabis.
Westlake Boys High School started an investigation about a fortnight ago after a tip-off that one student had been seen with the drug, The New Zealand Herald reported today.
Headmaster Craig Monaghan was involved in about 30 interviews to uncover what he described as a "small, contained ring" .
Some students had brought cannabis to school and sold it, and others had used the drug.
Mr Monaghan said Westlake Boys had a zero-tolerance drug policy.
"The school was determined that it would not stop until any boy associated with this small, contained ring was at least investigated," he said.
Sixteen pupils went before the board of trustees last week.
Mr Monaghan said 12 were excluded -- a punishment for behaviour judged to be "gross misconduct" for students aged under 16.
Exclusion is similar to being expelled but applies to students under 16, who must enrol in another school.
The other four were permitted to return to school on strict conditions.
Mr Monaghan said the investigation did not find any evidence that drugs other than cannabis had been brought to Westlake Boys.
The first instance of the drug being brought in had happened only 2 1/2 weeks before the tip-off.
He said a core of three or four students were involved and it was unfortunate other boys, thought to all be in Year 10, ended up linked.
