Fettesian Scandals
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Fettes College is a leading independent boarding school in Edinburgh, Scotland.
In the previous ten-to-fifteen years this seeming haven of Scottish Presbyterianism and good strong family values has been racked by a number of scandals involving the abuse and misuse of various drugs. The school response has caused controversy as there have been significant deviations from the published school polices and rules.
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[edit] Drug scandals
In late 2003 two boys from Kimmerghame House were expelled for smoking marijuana in one of the attics. The one-strike policy was clearly carried out; the boys were summarily expelled and did not attend Fettes College again.
However on July 3, 2004, the day before the academic year finished, four members of IVth Form, soon to be GCSE students in the Vth Form were again caught smoking marijuana with a member of the UVIth Form. Far from following the written Drugs Misuse Policy, the school decided to expel the member of the sixth form who was graduating the following day but allowed the younger boys to continue a Fettesian education because the drugs had been forced on them by the older pupil, a common example of peer pressure.
Members of teaching staff were left uncomfortably having to advocate a policy which was morally questionable.
It is common knowledge that on "indulgences" 6th Form members may often binge drink; an extremely dangerous practice.
Since then many conspiracy theories have been proposed about the how the Fettesian Drugs policy does work. Certainly the propensity of Fettesians to use mind-altering drugs such as marijuana and even alcohol must reflect a deep-seated unhappiness or resentment against the given order of things.
There have also been other scandals at Fettes in its chequered history which leave an unpleasant taste in the mouth; the masquerading of a physics teacher as a Leukemia sufferer (resulting in her departure from Fettes) springs to mind. However there have been other incidents which are decidedly more worrying:
[edit] Weapons
As many know Fettes has an active CCF, a Combined Cadet Force. During an exercise the Sergeant Major in charge, seemingly inadvertently gave a boy in the Sixth Form a rife loaded with live ammunition. It was only the boy's alertness which caused him to query the yellow warning marker attached to the clip. The Sergeant Major was suspended from teaching duties for two weeks before being returning. He still teaches at the school.
Other incidents including firearms include the shooting of one boy in the chest with an air-pistol. The incident was not reported to the Lothians and Borders Police and the school declined to comment.
In May/June of 2005 there was an influx in the number of 'BB' (Ball-Bearing Guns) in circulation throughout the school. It resulted in several boys being suspended; members of the Upper Sixth (UVIth Form) had shot BB pellets into the naked skin of several 13 and 14 year old boys. This is can be interpreted as a case of the out-dated system of fagging which many claim still exists at Fettes even if not in name.
[edit] Pastoral Problems
While most of the above can be seen as a result in the breakdown of Pastoral Care, in particular, one of the school matron's was fired in September 2005 after having sent abusive emails to one of the girls with in her care in College East.
