Karratha Senior High School has issued a public apology ahead of term 1 after including a gatorade bong among its required items for the 2026 year.
Parents reportedly contacted the Department of Education after noticing the item’s inclusion on the list, prompting a swift correction from the school.
“We do not, I repeat do not, expect parents to purchase anything relating to the consumption of illicit drugs ahead of the school year,” a KSHS spokesperson told The Bugle.
“That item’s inclusion was picked up after the lists had been sent out and parents were informed as soon as we were alerted.
“Even though studies show 97% of Karratha Senior High School graduates have at some point owned or used a gatorade bong – many of them regularly – that does not mean we condone it.”
For the uninitiated, a gatorade bong is typically crafted using a plastic drink bottle and a short hose, and is often used to smoke weed.
They’re usually found beneath teenagers’ beds, in garden sheds, or PE teachers’ gym bags.
While the school was quick to address reports, locals told The Bugle that it was just another inconvenience ahead of the back-to-school panic.
“Christ, that was the only thing Braxton (her 15-year-old son) actually already had,” said mum Jodie Taylor.
When asked why she thought students might need a device for smoking drugs, Ms Taylor said she didn’t have a bloody clue how these schools work these days.
“Fucked if I know, the kids lost me at 6-7,” she said.