Lynn Ruane (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 47:

In page 29, line 10, after “schools” to insert “and arrangements and procedures relating to the exclusion and suspension of students from schools”.

This amendment deals with regulations around expulsion and suspension. I am concerned about the use of exclusions and suspensions from schools. In many schools it is done on an ad hocbasis and often seems weighted towards the needs of the school rather than those of the student. There should be national guidelines regulated by the Minister. If we are putting this much work and effort into streamlining admissions procedures and making them accountable, the same should be done for exclusion and suspension due to their serious nature and the long-term impact they can have on a student's prospects.

I focused very heavily on expulsions and suspensions in the last debate. I am not sure people realise how many schools use them in the way they do. I have not pointed to specific examples in the Chamber because I do not want to be unfair to the schools concerned. They have challenges in terms of their situations, resources, time and so on. I have tried to keep the detailed information that I have in respect of suspension and expulsion out of the Chamber. A lot of schools are in difficult positions. However, year heads, teachers or vice principals are often jumping straight to suspension as a first port of call for matters that are not necessarily even in their guidelines and rule books.

I know this because I have intervened on a number of occasions for mothers who were concerned. I was contacted on one occasion by a 13 year old child who asked me to talk to his mother because he felt he was suspended unfairly. When I went through the school's rules that it set out for the children, he was correct. Sometimes the parents struggle to advocate on behalf of themselves and their children or they may not have as much access in terms of understanding the rules and regulations of the school. Sometimes they just take what teachers and schools say for granted because they feel intimidated by a person who has an education when they do not have one. My amendment would not only support students who are disadvantaged in that way but also the schools and the teachers by providing for clear regulations from the Minister on when and how it is appropriate to use suspension and expulsion. It can have a disastrous impact on a child's life. It is serious.

If the Minister was communicating with the same parents, children and teachers as I am he would probably see how serious it is. Since the issue does not make it onto the Minister's radar, it is very hard for him to know about it. I hope he can consider accepting the amendment and recognising its importance.