ACT’s school discipline policy

ACT have released a policy on discipline at school. It is mainly good, but potentially problematic.

ACT will give classroom teachers an explicit legal power to direct a student to leave the room for serious or persistent disruption, backed in law, very much like the operation of the school cell phone ban.

This sounds reasonable, but I know there are lots of parents with kids who are neurodiverse, who think (some not all) schools already use removing their kid from the classroom as a first resort, instead of a last one. There is of course a balance to be had, but younger kids especially sometimes just need help with emotional regulation, not being evicted from a classroom.

ACT will give clear legal protection to staff who use reasonable and proportionate intervention to prevent harm, so that order in the classroom can be maintained.

Fine.

ACT will ensure any assault on a teacher, student, or any member of school staff triggers an automatic school response: immediate removal, then a mandatory stand-down or suspension, ending the current school-by-school inconsistency.

This is potentially problematic. If you are talking about say a 16 year-old whacking a teacher, sure. But are they saying that two seven year olds who get in a fight must be stood down? That would be crazy.

ACT will require a parent or guardian meeting when behaviour repeats or turns serious.

Fine.