MP blames red tape for fall in school exclusions (From Echo)

MP blames red tape for fall in school exclusions

7:30am Friday 29th August 2008 in

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VIOLENCE and disruption in schools and children playing truant are marring life in communities across south Essex, a Tory MP says.

John Baron spoke out after figures revealed by the Conservative Party showed the number of permanent exclusions from schools across Essex had fallen by 10 per cent since 1997. Mr Baron, Tory MP for Billericay, insisted the reduction was down to bureaucracy by the Government, not because of better discipline.

He has welcomed new Tory policies which would end the right of appeals against exclusion to an independent panel, which he said undermined headteachers’ authority.

Conservatives would abolish the Government’s rules which force good schools to take pupils expelled from bad ones. The party’s new policy would change the law to make it easier for teachers to deal with violence.

Mr Baron said: “Bureaucratic rules imposed by the Govern-ment have made it harder for teachers to keep order, while false allegations and assaults on teachers have never been higher.

“Since 1997, across Essex, the number of permanent exclusions from secondary schools has fallen by 10 per cent not because of better discipline, but because it has become more difficult to exclude troublemakers. In too many of our schools, good education is being ruined by bad behaviour.

“Life in local communities is being marred by violence and disruption in schools – and on the streets as well from children playing truant.”