Get Tough On Bullies Says MP (From Crewe Guardian)

Get Tough On Bullies Says MP

11:34am Tuesday 8th December 2009 in News

CREWE and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson has called for new rules to get tough on school bullies.

Official Government figures have revealed that just 90 pupils across the country were expelled last year for bullying, despite a new survey finding half of all 14-year-old children have been bullied.

Across Cheshire, only 60 pupils were suspended last year from state secondary schools and 70 from all state schools – meaning the disruptive students returned to the school where they caused misery for their classmates.

In more than two thirds of local authorities across England, not a single child was expelled for bullying. In Cheshire, the figure was less than five.

Mr Timpson said that since 1997, Labour Government rules have deliberately made it more difficult for schools to expel pupils, undermining the authority of head teachers and meaning bullies end up back at the same school as their victims.

He explained: “Bullying makes far too many children’s lives a misery.

"But the Government’s own figures show that in the vast majority of cases bullies are returned to the same school as their victims after a short punishment, rather than being expelled.

“The key to tackling bullying is giving Crewe and Nantwich teachers the powers they need to crack down on bad behaviour.

"But under Labour, the balance of power in the classroom has shifted too far in favour of disruptive pupils.

“Conservatives would give our local schools the power to take a zero tolerance approach towards serious offences such as bullying.

"We will give our teachers the tools they need to maintain discipline in the classroom before it spirals out of control.”