THE PROCESS of appeal for students who have been expelled from school ignores the fundamental mission of the school and the right of the majority of students to learn, the ASTI conference was told yesterday.
Debating a motion about the working of section 29 of the Education Act, delegates described how layers of bureaucracy and intrusive procedures had turned the expulsion appeals process into “a scoundrel’s charter”.
“I unequivocally support the right of every student to an education, but also the right of every student to learn and teacher to teach,” said John Mulcahy.
“There is not a proper balance between those rights in the legislation as it stands. A small number of pupils can disrupt the learning of the majority for years, and the appeals process makes it increasingly difficult for schools to deal with the problem.” Kevin Brogan described incidents of verbal and physical abuse, intimidation and assault in Irish classrooms. “This is a health and safety issue. There is also the stress placed on teachers to record in a detailed an objective way the actions of students, only to have those reports pushed under the carpet.”
Delegates claimed that teachers are coming under increasing pressure to withdraw complaints against students because the appeals process placed such a heavy bureaucratic load on management, with no guarantee of success.
“When a parent appeals an expulsion the student is returned to the classroom for the duration of their appeal, to continue his or her disruptive behaviour,” said Mr Mulcahy.
“We are giving out the wrong messages when serious, even criminal behaviour is not only unpunished but condoned in our schools,” said Larry McGuinness.
“Over adherence to legalistic technicality in the appeals process is turning schools into culprits, rather than the individuals who carry out these acts.”
John Byrne said teachers needed to know that expulsion existed as a sanction and works as a sanction. “Teachers feel that they cannot depend on the back-up of management when students are disruptive.”
Former ASTI president Susie Hall warned that teachers were being “sleepwalked down the rose path of political correctness”.
She cited the incident of an Irish principal who signed his staff up for self-defence training.
“I want none of that training. That’s police work, and I’m a teacher.
“This is not the way to deal with disruptive pupils – this is unarmed combat. Shame on us for failing to protect the rights of the majority of our students.”
