Class struggle

It was a pre-election policy gesture riddled with contradictions. The Minister says the growing problem of classroom indiscipline has been caused by staff not using existing powers properly, like restraint.

Yet, if these guidelines, were correct, why has this prominent Yorkshire politician felt the need to clarify them and end this so-called "myth"? And why has his Government been so reluctant to back those teachers who have had to try to physically control troublesome pupils?

Ministers need to address two issues – the definition of "force" and what happens to those youngsters whose misconduct is so serious that it warrants their expulsion from school.

The police and the judiciary have found it very difficult to

distinguish between an acceptable and unacceptable level of force when a householder has had the misfortune to be confronted by an intruder.

Fortunately, these are very rare occurrences. For teachers, however, classroom ill-discipline is an everyday problem and troublesome pupils are only too aware of their "rights" as they deliberately stretch the patience of school staff to breaking point.

Perversely, the expulsion of such individuals is not the end of the problem. Invariably, schools are forced – under this Government's rules – to take back such disruptive influences or, in a quid quo pro, accept a number of disturbed children who have been banned from neighbouring schools.

The consequence is that teachers, or those children who want to learn, are no better off than before – and yesterday's politically-motivated speech by Mr Balls only adds to the confusion and misapprehension.