As someone who has experienced school exclusion, I am all too aware of the devastating impact it can have on a young person's life. At the age of 13, I was unlawfully excluded from school and had to attend multiple short-stay schools in the region. I was promised that I could return after spending two terms at a pupil referral unit and signed a contract to agree to this. However, the deputy head who made the agreement left the school, and took the contract with her, and no one verified that I was a student there. I missed out on critical years of educational development - the effects of which I still feel to this day.
Despite this setback, I was able to turn my life around and achieve A-levels, a first-class law degree, and a master’s degree in legal practice solicitors. My story is one of realising potential, and I am an exception only because I had support behind me. However, not everyone is as fortunate as I have been to escape the long-term consequences of school exclusion.
School exclusions disproportionately affect certain groups, including Black Caribbean children, Gypsies, Roma and Traveller children, children living in poverty, and children with special needs. It is essential to raise awareness of the impact that school exclusion has on young people's lives and the trauma they carry with them. Education is a fundamental right, but school exclusion deprives students of this right.
The education system needs to change in a positive and inclusive way. It is inhumane that children are put into isolation for days on end at such a young age and are not allowed to so much as move their head without facing further punishment. Isolation is equivalent to prison treatment, and to isolate a young person from their peers at such a young age has a detrimental impact on their life.
It is unhealthy to prevent a child from socialising with their peers and restricting them from their full education. Other measures need to be put in place to support these students, such as having a mental health nurse on campus and a support worker for students that have underlying issues. Rather than punishing the individual, we need to look at supporting a child who may be very troubled and giving them a voice.
My experience has shown me that the law can be a powerful tool in fighting exclusion and securing justice for those who have been wronged. However, many young people are not aware of their legal rights or how to challenge their exclusion. It is important to raise awareness and ensure that young people have access to the legal support they need. Again, the education system needs to change, but those concerned need to collectively work towards creating a system that supports and empowers young people to reach their full potential.