Clause 90 will lead to more dissafected black pupils in England

Black Britain:

Clause 90 of the new Education and Inspections Bill which could see parents prosecuted for failing to keep excluded kids off the street is likely to affect a large number of black parents.

Under clauses 90, 91, and 92, parents are responsible for their children for the first five days of any exclusion, whether fixed or permanent and can face prosecution or penalty notices if their excluded child is found in a public place during school hours.

It is already known that black pupils are among the most likely to be excluded from school, with the Office for National Statistics reporting that in 2003/2004 black children were up to three times more likely to be permanently excluded from schools in England.

The rate of exclusion for black Caribbean pupils in 2003/2004 was 41 per 10,000 and for other black pupils it was 42 per 10,000.

Parentline Plus and the Advisory Centre for Education are highly critical of clause 90 which it told Black Britain will “run the risk of unemployment” for parents who will have to “operate house arrest for five days.”

Speaking to Black Britain about the how this will affect black pupils, Fry said that the measure would be more likely to “exacerbate” feelings of disengagement that black children already have with schools.

Parents, too will “feel as if they are being punished” which will only send a negative message, as opposed to taking a more constructive approach, Fry added.

But according to the Department for Education and Skills, clause 90 is necessary to ensure that parents take responsibility for their children’s bad behaviour.

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