Tory calls for more permanent school expulsions
EDUCATION chiefs have rejected claims that more pupils should have been expelled for incidents in the borough’s schools last year.
Figures released by the Department for Children, Schools and Families show that 630 pupils were temporarily excluded from school in Halton during 2006-07.
Of these, 123 were sent home for assaulting other pupils, 41 for assaulting adults, and 13 for alcohol and drug offences.
That year also saw 194 excluded for “persistent disruptive behaviour”, 133 for verbal abuse against adults, 17 for bullying, 11 for sexual misconduct, and five for racist abuse.
Ben Jones, prospective Conservative MP for Halton, said that more excluded pupils should have been permanently expelled. He said: “Many teachers are doing their best to maintain discipline, but it’s unbelievable that, here in Halton, so many bullies are being allowed back into the classroom. “The victims of bullying shouldn’t have to put up with
seeing their tormentors stroll back into the classroom after a few days away from school.”
A Halton Borough Council spokesman, said: “The incidents leading to the fixed term exclusion of pupils exist on a wide spectrum of seriousness. Permanent exclusion is a sanction that is rightly reserved for incidents at the most serious end of this spectrum.