NO - MARTIN WARD, deputy general secretary, Secondary HeadsAssociation
This is a highly impractical idea and would make parents feel that theywere being punished. Parents of excluded pupils sometimes cannot controlthem and are often in marginal employment that could be lost if theywere obliged to take time off. Even without that possibly precariousfamily finances would be affected by unpaid time off. The importantrelationship between school and parent, always affected when childrenhave to be excluded, would be at further risk.
YES - SALLY BECK, spokeswoman, What About the Children?
You need to look at why children are being suspended from school. Is badbehaviour actually attention seeking behaviour, and are children seekingattention because they are not seeing enough of their parents? Are theybeing left unsupervised for too long? About 80 per cent of parents wouldprefer to do the childcare themselves, but are forced to go out towork.
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