Ealing
LEA backs excluded families in legal action
Colin
Lowther, the head teacher of Southfield Primary school, could face
legal action from the families of the pupils he excluded after a
violent assault on two mothers in the school�s infant playground
The
exclusion, which took effect today Thursday 6th March on the grounds
of healthy and safety, has the support of the vast majority of the
parents, teachers and governors at the school but is in defiance
of council regulations.

Police on patrol at school as parents collect children |
Ealing council is backing a legal action by one of the mothers against
the head. Margaret Doyle, whose children Rosie, five, and Nicholas,
nine, are among the six pupils barred, has revealed plans to challenge
the decision on the basis that the headteacher had exceeded his
powers at an independent appeals panel.
Ms
Doyle is also being assisted by Ealing council's traveller education
support service. She claims that "Mr Lowther just wants us
out. He's been prejudiced against travelling people. My children
do not need to be involved. They were not involved in what happened
and they have been excluded because they are travelling children."
She also claims that her children are frightened and are suffering
as a result of the exclusion.
Ealing
council's Labour leader John Cudmore has also come out in support
of the excluded families "I don't think the head teacher can
decide to exclude pupils himself. If the governing body decides
to exclude these pupils we will respond to that."
Mr Lowther stands by his decision reasoning that the school couldn�t
guarantee that there wouldn�t be any repeat of violent or abusive
behaviour and that his concern was to protect the school.
The decision to exclude is taken by a head teacher. The school governors
can then hear an appeal from the parents of the excluded child and
can decide whether to back the head or reinstate the pupil. If the
governors back the head, the parents can then take their case to
an independent appeals panel, set up by local education authorities.
March
6, 2003
Crisis
for local school after playground attack
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