Three year 10 South Otago High School pupils have been suspended and four others stood down after they were caught using marijuana at a school camp in the Catlins this week.
The school board will meet early next week to decide whether the suspended pupils, all thought to be aged 14, will be allowed to return to school.
Principal Nick Simpson said the four other pupils, who were stood down for having "a lesser involvement in this incident", would probably return to school next Wednesday.
The pupils were attending the camp at the Tautuku Outdoor Education Centre.
Mr Simpson would not comment on the quantity of drugs found but said it was "not Mr Asia stuff".
"It doesn't matter if it was an ounce or a kilo," he said when contacted yesterday.
Staff and parents at the camp felt "really let down", as did many pupils. The supervision at the camp had been of top quality and he said the pupils involved had "gone out of their way to do wrong".
It is expected the board will meet on Tuesday night to decide the fate of the three suspended pupils.
Mr Simpson said the board had three options - allow the pupils to return to school with no conditions, impose conditions on their return or expel them.
In the school newsletter, he said that as principal, he had no tolerance for the pupils' behaviour.
"Parents send their students to us in the clear expectation that we will maintain a physically and emotionally healthy learning environment. Drugs have no place in this environment. Wherever they are detected, action will be taken."
He would be reinforcing that message to the full school assembly early next week.
Mr Simpson said the parents of all seven pupils had been very supportive and this attitude was much appreciated.
"These are young people involved and they make mistakes - and that is what it is like when you work with teenagers."
