Disruptive pupils in schools

On the 12th November BBC TV News carried a feature that informed us that many schools, including 12 in Wales, are now using "isolation units" to contain youngsters whose behaviour is disruptive in class.

The isolation units are plywood structures that look like the booths used to provide privacy for voters. The young people have to sit in these structures facing a blank wall.

On the 13th November a separate story was featured in which BBC reporter Ed Thomas visited a school in Manchester. This is a privately owned school contracted to provide places for disruptive young people excluded from mainstream education. 

I was very concerned by the first story, particularly because it applied to Wales. I have written to Kirsty Williams as the Welsh Education minister, my constituency AM and a personal acquaintance of around 20 years. I await her reply.  I have also tried to ask the BBC  the background to how these features suddenly become news, however, it is very difficult to contact the BBC without using social media.  [This is a further indication of the way that A.I. is gaining traction everywhere, social media produces data, email requires work to turn it into data. By this route social media becomes essential to the BBC. Who now has the upper hand in any transaction? PH. see the blog on A.I.]

Has the number of young people being disruptive grown alarmingly? Is their behaviour much worse? If so what research is being undertaken to find out why? Are schools less able to cope with disruptive behaviour? Does this relate to the absurd Austerity policy that has done so much harm to UK infrastructure? Is isolation a technique that has any benefit for the child, or is it purely containment? Is it being used as a form of punishment? 

The young people featured are "children of God", each with the potential for divinity, might this response to their reactions damage that potential? If there is an increase in young people with behavioural problems what effect is this having on the rest of our education system? 

I have no expertise in Education but I am sure that we have a high proportion of Friends who do.  Is this a conversation in which we should be urgently involved? 

Wales is so much more progressive than England and Welsh education has separated itself from that of England to some extent.  Should Welsh education be exploring alternatives, making improvements, showing a better way? 

This has been circulated among the Wales Focus Group 14th November 2018.