Persistently unruly pupils should be taken out of mainstream education and taught in Second Chance Centres until they show they can behave.
Scottish Conservatives have commissioned a poll which shows 70% of Scots back this view. 85% of Scots also want to see figures relating to attacks on school staff published more often.
Liz Smith MSP, Shadow Minister for Children, Schools & Skills, says:
“The SNP Government is not delivering for Scotland’s parents, pupils and teachers. We need radical measures to improve discipline in our schools and, in the absence of any initiative from Fiona Hyslop, Scottish Conservatives are taking the lead.
“When it comes to persistently unruly pupils, we need to take them out of mainstream education and teach them in separate Second Chance Centres until they know how to behave. Well-behaved pupils must be able get on with learning, and teachers to get on with teaching without the distraction of a few badly behaved pupils, who need a second chance to refocus their lives.
“To be moved out of mainstream education into a Second Chance Centre would send a real message to the pupils concerned. They would be removed completely from the mainstream environment and taught by specialist teachers.
“School discipline should be at the forefront of the education debate. With this in mind, the Scottish Government should publish violence against school staff statistics on an annual basis, not a three-yearly survey as we currently have. Until we see radical measures like these, the SNP will continue to fail Scotland’s schools.”