TEACHING unions declared victory last night after it was agreed teachers at a south Tyneside comprehensive could continue to refuse to teach a 12 year old boy with a history of violent behaviour.
The general secretary of the National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers, Mr Nigel de Gruchy, said the decision had averted the planned strike action by teachers at Hebburn Comprehensive and was in the best interests of the child.
"We have struck a blow for the maintenance of good order and defending teachers against violence in schools. That position has been maintained and that is good news for the whole education service.
"If you want sensible discipline in schools, anyone who gratuitously assaults a teacher in this way must be excluded from that school. Obviously this pupil needs some special provision and after that it might be possible to integrate him into another school and we would recommend our members to give very serious and sympathetic consideration to that. We are not trying to keep him out of all schools," he added.
It is understood that Graham Cram's parents have agreed he will now be taught in isolation at the school by a special needs teacher. The boy was expelled from Hebburn Comprehensive last July after allegedly assaulting a male teacher.
After revealing that the boy has a history of disciplinary problems, bullying and of disrupting classes since primary school, Mr de Gruchy said the incident occurred as pupils were leaving morning assembly and Graham fell over in the doorway. Fearing he would trampled, the male teacher tried to protect Graham. However, the boy allegedly kicked and punched him.
Following his expulsion, his parents took his case to the local authority's independent appeals panel which ruled six months ago, he could return to school.
However, the teachers have continually refused to allow him into their classes, threatening to strike if the local authority forced them to teach him.
Mr Peter Cram, the boy's father, described the teacher's actions as a "total disgrace" and announced he was planning legal action against the school's governors for failing to teach his son for almost a year. .
The boy insisted he was not violent. "I feel very upset about not being allowed back into the school because I want to get on with my education. The teachers won't let me because they don't like violent pupils but I am not violent. It is not fair," he said.
However, Mr de Gruchy suggested the establishment of independent appeals panels by the government undermined the authority of school governors, particularly decisions to expel disruptive pupils.
"On the one hand the government says local management is marvellous and governing bodies have the power to hire and fire teachers. Why can't they fire children as well, particularly when they make criminal assaults and when they disrupt lessons seriously?"
. The owner of an exclusive prep school has sacked his wife as its headmistress after discovering she was having an affair with the English master.
Sir Alford Houstoun Boswall set up the £6,000 a year. Harrodian School in Barnes, south west London, with his wife Eliana, and appointed her head mistress.
But, according to the Mail on Sunday, Lady Houstoun Boswall (51), began an affair with English master, Mr Guy Holloway, who is 23 years her junior.