Exam Times: The disciplinary incident in which three students were refused entry to a Junior Cert examination hall because their tight hair cut was in breach of school rules has been "sensationalised" at national level, according to the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NADP).

On the second day of the Tullamore school controversy, the association issued a statement appealing for an atmosphere of calm in the coming weeks.

President of the organisation Clive Byrne and director Mary McGlynn said they wished to clarify that school regulations continue to apply during the Leaving and Junior Certificate exams, adding that where breaches occur, these are best dealt with at local level.

"There is an appropriate time and place to engage in national and local discussion about school policies and school regulations. NADP considers that the period of the certificate examinations is not the appropriate time," the statement said.

Yesterday, Minister for Education Mary Hanafin said sanctions for breach of school rules must be proportionate to the infringement committed and should not interfere with the atmosphere of the exams.

One of the students, Enda Carroll, has now abandoned his Junior Cert until next year. "Where rules are set down, they should be given to the parents and to the students in advance and should be agreed with them," Ms Hanafin said. "Then, where they're broken, the sanction should be proportionate to the actual breach of the rules and it's really very important that it shouldn't interfere with the calm atmosphere of the exams."

However, Ann-Marie Treacy, mother of Seán, who has continued his exams in another school, said the situation was far from calm as fellow students remained outraged at the principal's decision and parents were angry that the ongoing situation had not yet been resolved.

She contended that the legal route may arise as the only option through which parents receive an apology and explanation. "I'm not prepared to let this rest and as adamant as I am, Mrs Carroll [ Enda's mother] is up in arms over the way she has been treated and her son has been violated," she said.

Green Party education spokesman Paul Gogarty yesterday called for student representation on school boards of management so they could engage in the decision making processes affecting a range of issues, including school rules. He said: "If students have input into the rules, the rules are more likely to be respected."