Teachers Asked To 'Shop' Each Other for Substance Abuse

I found the following newspaper article in a publication called the 'Southport Visiter' from two weeks ago. It details a new policy as set out by Sefton Council, that encourages other teachers to tell on colleagues they suspect have a problem with drugs and alcohol.

It's been condemned by the ATL who say it, "could breed an atmosphere of mistrust amongst colleagues..." and that it is, "Pushing management responsibilities... onto others." It is even condemned by Addaction, an alcohol treatment charity, who say, "Falsely accusing someone can damage relationships."

They state it would be much better if teachers were encourage to report them to a counselor, rather than their boss, and I agree. Senior management in schools already have too much ammo with which to take down a perfectly fine teacher without adding this to it. It can, and will, be misused to oust teachers who they don't like and who's face they deem not to fit, just like every other initiative of this sort already in place.

What really puzzles me is why teaching has been picked out alone as an industry where more of this needs to happen. Do the council think schools are full of secret drug users and teachers delivering lessons drunk? Do they think it's such an awful job that teachers alone are more susceptible to substance misuse? 

If they are so concerned that the students might potentially be exposed to drink and drugs, then they should go round to some of their parents houses instead.