School suspends girls for using traditional skincare product, saying it’s a drug

When a Form Three student at Buru Buru Girls’ High School, took a traditional skincare medication with her to school, no one took much notice.

Then, on May 21, the ash-like substance caught the eye of an informant, and ever since, the 17-year-old and her friend have been fighting to prove that they are not drug addicts, and that the substance  was not bhang, as the school claims.

The situation got so bad that the girls were suspended indefinitely and a series of tests and counselling sessions recommended if they are ever to be readmitted, a mother to one of the girls says.

The girls claim they been subjected to emotional intimidation and coerced by the school administration to admit that they are drug addicts, when in fact, they are not.

In an emotional letter to her mother, the student says she is not a substance addict and doesn’t  understand why the school has accused her falsely, causing her mental torture.

She further revealed that they were accused of mixing the substance with  their food. It is after they capitulated, a week later, that they were suspended, with instructions to seek intensive counselling. Strict disciplinary action was also taken against them.

SUSPENSION

The suspension letter required her mother to show why the school should allow her daughter to continue studying there.

“It has been an agonising time for us since, even after the  results from the recommended psychiatrists and urine drug screen toxicology tests conducted on the two came back negative, the school isn’t eager to accept them back,” says the mother.

A letter from a Dr Pius Kigamwa of Oasis Health Speciality Hospital, where the student went for counselling, also said she showed no psychopathological tendencies associated with drug use.

But her mother’s worry is that it might take way too long for the board to sit and deliberate on what to do about  her daughter, whom she feels has been unfairly treated.

She added that her daughter is missing classes since the school  insists that the  board  must first meet and evaluate the cases and then  recommend whether to accept the girls back, or expel them.

However, in a rejoinder, the school said that due procedure, which includes the board meeting, has to be followed before the two are allowed back.

SUED MANAGEMENT

Meanwhile, the parents of a Form Four student in another a city school on Monday sued the school’s management board, the county education board and education director  after their son was suspended for  four months  on allegations of drug and substance abuse.

They argued that  their son is a KCSE candidate and will suffer irreparable loss if he remains out of school for that long. They further argued that the suspension violates his constitutional right to education and destabilises his future. 

The dispute started on February 7 when the school contacted the boy’s father and asked him to pick up his son.

The boy’s father wants the school to readmit his son, saying that  the results of the drug tests from a government chemist, as well as the counsellor’s report form Kenyatta National Hospital, to which he took his son, were all negative. He says despite several visits to the school, it is unyielding.

PHONE CONVERSATION

According to the father, he was not informed reasons for the suspension during the phone conversation but learnt about it when he later arrived at the school.

After he was handed a letter indicating that his child was suspended over the said allegations, he made an attempt to make enquiries from the Principal.

He claimed that he was asked to come back with his child on February 14.

He alleged that he took his son to a government chemist on February 9 for drug abuse analysis examination which turned out to be negative.

On February 12, he alleged in the case documents, that he took his son to counselling session at the Kenyatta National Hospital.

At KNH the minor was described as calm, confident and able to respond to instructions appropriately hence was advised to be given support by the school’s counselling department and his parents.

TURNED AWAY

According to the father, the counselling report and recommendations were taken to the school on February 22. They visited the school severally but were turned away.

The seventeen year old appeared before the board for the disciplinary case on March 13 but the verdict was allegedly forwarded to the Nairobi county director of education who was to give it just after two weeks.

However, they claimed that the verdict has never been released to date and the minor has since remained out of school.

“He has already suffered enough loss academically and stands to suffer more irreparable loss, psychological torture and anguish if he is not re-admitted to the school immediately,” said Mr Miinda.

His parents now want the sued parties barred from suspending or expelling their child using the grounds given when he was first sent home and that the child be re-admitted.