Violent pupils expelled after stabbing classmates and assaulting staff are being allowed back to school against the wishes of their head teachers.

 

Teaching unions have revealed a catalogue of examples where a head's decision to exclude a pupil permanently for appalling behaviour has been overturned by governors and appeal panels.

 

n October, three sixth-formers from a school in the South East took knives on a school trip, which resulted in a pupil being stabbed in the chest. One successfully appealed against exclusion and is back at school.

 

In June, governors overturned the decision of a secondary school head in the Midlands who had expelled a teenage pupil for setting up a website calling on classmates to kill a teacher.

 

In May, an 11-year-old pupil who repeatedly battered a fellow pupil on the head, punched a member of staff and smashed a door was returned to the school in the South East by the governing body.

 

The Conservatives said last night that the cases showed an appalling disregard for the authority of heads and the safety of staff and pupils.

 

Michael Gove, the shadow education secretary, said: "Head teachers need to be given greater freedom to exclude violent pupils and those whose behaviour threatens good order.

 

"Rather than preside over bureaucratic structures which prevent teachers enforcing proper discipline, the Government should make it easier for heads to exclude and concentrate on improving provision for excluded pupils."

 

Official figures published in June showed a rise in the number of expulsions overruled by independent panels last year. Of 980 appeals heard, 24 per cent were successful, compared with 20 per cent in 1997. Figures on the number overturned by governors are not collected.

 

See whole article here : http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml...nexclude102.xml

 

The headmaster should be the SOLE decision maker, none of the politically correct governers or any of that, it should be up to the headmaster and his decision final

The headmaster should be the SOLE decision maker, none of the politically correct governers or any of that, it should be up to the headmaster and his decision final

 

bring back victorian values eh?... fascist heads ruling with a sadistic, abusive streak! governors are there for a reason.

bring back victorian values eh?... fascist heads ruling with a sadistic, abusive streak! governors are there for a reason.

 

Hmmm, I dunno, I mean if the governors appear to be undemining the position of the Headmaster what message is that sending out to the kids...? That their punishments will eventually be overturned on some kind of appeal.... Sorry, but kids are like dogs, they need a firm hand and discipline....

Hmmm, I dunno, I mean if the governors appear to be undemining the position of the Headmaster what message is that sending out to the kids...? That their punishments will eventually be overturned on some kind of appeal.... Sorry, but kids are like dogs, they need a firm hand and discipline....

 

im under the impression that the head and governors meet regularly to determine a joint strategy on running the school, therefore they should back the head, as he would be acting within agreed perameters.

Im my opinion. No. Teachers have enough power to decide what they want do, they don't need head's to come in and make all the descions for them.. It would confuse them and f*** up the school system. If the Govoners want to overturn a desicion then let them do it... If they didn't have that power then that would give kids no power at all.

im under the impression that the head and governors meet regularly to determine a joint strategy on running the school, therefore they should back the head, as he would be acting within agreed perameters.

 

Should being the operative word.

 

It is actually VERY difficult to expell a child now - local authorities put great pressure on governing bodies to keep children in school.

If they are expelled then the local authority has to actually do some work.

 

Whilst there are many guidelines and policies ruling schools many decisions can still be over ruled by the local authority.

 

Expulsion is rare in primary schools (altho becoming less rare) but less so in high schools.

 

If I was a high school teacher and a pupil had been expelled for an assault on me or a pupil in my care I would expect the full backing of my head teacher and union in refusing to have to teach that child again.

 

 

You can't walk into a doctors surgery or hospital without signs about how assaults on staff will not be tolerated and how treatment will be refused etc.

 

But it is ok to abuse teachers?

 

To be honest - yes - it seems perfectly acceptable to give teachers a "hard time" and abuse. Why are we surprised when it goes to far?

 

Although to be honest if my parents had been told by my school of even verbal lack of respect for a teacher I would have been severely punished.

Unfortunately a significant proprtion of parents would not punish and may even applaud their offspring's actions.

im under the impression that the head and governors meet regularly to determine a joint strategy on running the school, therefore they should back the head, as he would be acting within agreed perameters.

 

 

But there's nothing 'unreasonable' about expelling or suspending disruptive pupils IMO. I dont see how the Head doing that is outwith his or her parameters.....

Im my opinion. No. Teachers have enough power to decide what they want do, they don't need head's to come in and make all the descions for them.. It would confuse them and f*** up the school system. If the Govoners want to overturn a desicion then let them do it... If they didn't have that power then that would give kids no power at all.

 

Kids should not have any power, the teachers and headmaster are the master and the kids should do what they are told

 

Teachers don't have the power as far as I know to suspend or expel and nor should they it is a matter for the headmaster

Im my opinion. No. Teachers have enough power to decide what they want do, they don't need head's to come in and make all the descions for them.. It would confuse them and f*** up the school system. If the Govoners want to overturn a desicion then let them do it... If they didn't have that power then that would give kids no power at all.

 

Why should kids have any power within the school system..? Sorry, but school aint a democracy, nor should it be, pupils do what they are TOLD, part of what they're there to LEARN is how to become responsible members of society... Every psychological evidence that is out there says that kids up to a certain age are ruled by their 'Id' - that is their subconcious pleasure principles, in other words "I want, I demand!", dogs act on the same "I want" level, and have to be trained. The Id has to be kept in check in order for a superego (that is an awareness of the world and others around you) to develop. A dog cannot develop a superego therefore has to be permanently kept in check by its owner, but a human can, and MUST, or else can become a criminal or a sociopath... The whole reason why there is so much lack of discipline in schools, and I would argue, a lack of respect in society in general, is because kids are being far too indulged in this day and age; oh, they all KNOW what their bloody rights are thanks to the middle-class liberal do-gooder brigade, but have no inkling whatsoever of their responsibilities....