Last updated:
The school believes that it helps students who are addicted to cigarettes to manage their stress and control violent tendencies.
The school justified this act by saying that students who are addicted to smoking may smoke secretly or skip school because of their addiction. (AyraNews24x7 Hindi)
School is a place where a better life is shaped for the students. It is the responsibility of the teachers and school administration to provide the students with an environment that helps them become better people and stay away from bad habits. However, a different case has come to light in a school in Australia, which you may be surprised to hear. Last year, a campus of Arethusa College in Queensland made headlines for allowing students smoking breaks.
According to a 2023 report by news website Daily Mail, the school administration allows students to smoke cigarettes at the Deception Bay campus of Arethusa College. The report said that around 50 students smoked in the smoking area created within the school. The college claims they first seek permission from students’ parents, but one parent speaking to The Sunday Mail said their child was allowed to smoke despite their refusal.
The school justified this act by saying that students who are addicted to smoking may smoke secretly or skip school because of their addiction. They argue that this could have a negative impact on their education. To address the problem, the school has created a designated smoking area on campus, where students can smoke in a safe, monitored environment. The school believes that the main reason behind implementing such rules is so that students who are addicted to cigarettes can manage their stress and control their violent tendencies.
The school administration mentioned that they have been transparent with the investigating agencies and medical authorities about their policy and are sharing it openly with everyone. However, some parents have expressed concerns. A parent complained that the environment had led their child to start smoking.
Arethusa College is an independent school which, over many years, has provided academic and vocational education to children aged 7–12 who struggle to fit into the mainstream education system.
