Education Minister Milton Scott has rushed to the defence of an Island School which suspended dozens of pupils following a drinking binge in the school playground.

And the Minister warned that there "must be a clear and unequivocal message'' sent to young people caught using illegal drugs on school campuses.

Mr. Scott said that the punishment meted out to some 30 children at Sandys Middle School was within the Ministry's Code of Conduct.

Mr. Scott spoke out yesterday after The Royal Gazette revealed that many parents of the 12 and 13-year-olds' involved in last week's incident were upset at the punishment their children had received.

Some argued that their children had received "unfair'' treatment in that only three of the students were drunk.

Up to 36 students were sent home for a week following the incident, which happened at lunchtime March 16. The students were expected back to school yesterday.

Parents told The Royal Gazette three students at the school in Somerset brought in a bottle of Malibu and took it to the netball court.

A group of around fifty ran over to see what was happening and the bottle was passed around.

Teachers then questioned the youngsters, who informed on one another, resulting in around 36 being suspended.

One parent said it was unfair that all of the children were suspended, potentially stigmatising them among their peers as alcoholics.

And she said the children have been seen about their neighbourhoods when they could have been in school on an internal suspension.

But Mr. Scott said: "The ministry believes in giving principals autonomy in matters of administration of the school.

"When I heard about it, on the very day of the incident I asked for and got a report before noon on the following day.

"I'm not going to second guess the principal and it was within the Code of Conduct.

"I can understand the parents' concern and while it may seem like a long period of punishment, it is important that a message is sent that is clear and unequivocal that we are not going to tolerate using alcohol in school.''