COMMENTING on figures published today which show a rise in the percentage of pupils permanently excluded from school for substance misuse, assaults on staff or students, and for using threatening behaviour, Shadow Education Minister Paul Davies AM said:
"Classroom violence and drug abuse cannot be tolerated. The Assembly Government is deluding itself if ministers think poor pupil behaviour has been tackled. In many cases it is getting worse.
"These figures demonstrate the failure of the Assembly Government to get to grips with the most serious cases of pupil behaviour.
"It is unacceptable that any teacher or pupil has to work with the threat of verbal or physical assault in the classroom.
"Every day in every part of the country there are children who are missing out on an education by being excluded from the classroom.
"And every day many more are preventing other children from reaching their full potential because of their disruptive behaviour."
