The Government's decision to amend Section 29 of the Education Act, which allows parents to lodge an appeal against the suspension of a pupil from school, is sensible and overdue. The Cabinet has backed proposals, tabled by Minister for Education Mary Hanafin, which will make it easier for schools to take decisive action against troublesome pupils.
Essentially, the new Bill "rebalances" current legislation in favour of the wider rights of the school community and away from the individual rights of any individual student. In assessing a Section 29 application, the relevant appeals committee will focus on the pupil as part of a wider learning community. This is a welcome change.
As a Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) survey has demonstrated, the morale of the entire school community - pupils, parents, teachers and school managers - can be damaged by the actions of one persistently disruptive pupil. The TUI found that more than 70 per cent of teachers who experienced violence or intimidation said that it disrupted teaching to a "major extent".
The proposed Bill is in line with recommendations made in the Task Force on Student Behaviour, which reported earlier this year. That group was praised widely for its child-centred and holistic approach to the problem of discipline in schools. But it also acknowledged how Section 29, as currently framed, was creating real practical difficulties for schools. As both the TUI and the Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland (Asti) have pointed out, schools have often found it very difficult to take tough action against unruly pupils. The appeals process was slow and cumbersome, with parents winning in a good number of cases. The amending legislation, once enacted, should present fewer practical difficulties, allowing schools to deal with disruptive pupils quickly and in a robust manner - without fearing that expulsion or suspension would have to be rescinded on appeal.
The amending legislation is part of a package of measures designed to address what the teacher unions see as a discipline "crisis". Next month, behaviour support teams will begin work in about 50 schools. These groups will provide assistance to students and teachers. In some cases, students will be excluded from the mainstream classroom, although the aim will be to reintegrate them as quickly as possible. Ms Hanafin deserves credit for the manner in which she has responded to the discipline problem in the classroom. The new package of measures provides a good balance, combining practical assistance to schools and support for pupils.