In showing his concern for the rights of those disruptive pupils who are excluded from school David Hoyle negates the question of the rights of the other 30 or so pupils in the same class (“Excluded pupils are tomorrow’s citizens” TES, October 4).
What happens to them when the teacher is constantly spending time and nervous energy on one pupil? What of the children who are waiting for statements of special needs due to a learning disability. This takes a considerable time in schools where there are several special needs children per class. What of the more able child who also has the right to extra help? Schools are expected to provide for all these needs with limited financial backing.
Of course all these children have rights, so do their parents. With rights come responsibilities and until the Government undertakes to fund special needs education adequately then not only will the majority suffer but disruptive pupils will continue to be excluded from schools because they simply cannot afford to fund the one to one education necessary for these and many other special needs children.
E FISHER
Aylesbury, Bucks
