Five-year-old expelled from school

Exclusive by Dan McMullan

October 20, 2006

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OUT: Tamara Howard

OUT: Tamara Howard 1/2 Play Slideshow

A GIRL of five has been expelled from her school.

Tamara Howard is believed to be the youngest child to be permanently excluded in Greater Manchester after being accused of attacking her teachers.

Tamara, one of the youngest pupils in her year, has been kicked out of Old Moat School in Withington after a number of incidents, which have also involved other pupils.

The youngster, who lives with mum Angela in Withington, has not been in school for three weeks and has remained at home.

Head teacher Merna McVeigh decided to permanently exclude Tamara over fears she may "seriously harm the education and welfare of pupils and others".

Ms Howard, 41, agrees Tamara can be difficult, but feels she has been left in the cold - and not enough time was taken to help resolve her problems.

And she is very concerned because her daughter is not getting any schooling.

Education

Ms Howard met education and social services officials yesterday and was told it would be four weeks before a decision about Tamara's future would be made.

Children who behave badly can be sent home from school by the head teacher for a fixed period, or permanently. The decision to permanently exclude Tamara was taken after she was excluded for 15 days after an alleged attack on a teacher and classmate on September 20.

The school claims Tamara hit her teacher "several times on the arm, leaving cuts and bruises" after being asked to clear away some toy bricks.

This followed an earlier episode, when it was claimed Tamara attacked six staff members.

Aggressive

Ms Howard, who has two other children, said: "Tamara only started at school in January and has had more than six weeks' holidays in that time. She was never aggressive before arriving there and I don't feel she has been given a chance.

"She is five years old, so to say she is attacking members of staff is just ridiculous. She can be a handful and she does display challenging behaviour at times, but she needs support and encouragement, not punishment."

Tamara previously went to the Old Moat nursery, where there were no problems, but when she started school, her behaviour deteriorated. A tutor was brought in to help for a short time.

Ms Howard said: "An educational psychologist was able to do one day of assessment and then Tamara was excluded.

"The whole thing is a disgrace, she was excluded before she even had a chance to get any help."

Psychologist

The psychologist was called in on September 19 and a partial assessment was carried out. When the psychologist returned the day after, she was told of an attack on a teacher and that Tamara would be excluded. After a 15-day temporary exclusion period, it was made permanent.

A letter to Ms Howard said: "Tamara has physically and verbally assaulted a member of staff and a child in her class. Allowing her to stay in school would seriously harm the education and welfare of pupils and others."

Ms Howard is now waiting for a decision by the governors on the head's ruling; and an appointment with clinical psychologists.

An education authority spokesman said: "This pupil is already receiving intensive help and support and we will continue to work with her parent to ensure this continues and that an appropriate school place is found as quickly as possible."

IS expulsion the answer to problems with a five-year-old child? Have your say.

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Angry McNasty, City Centre (20/10/2006 at 09:05)

Fair enough the kid is all smiles infront of the camera. However, a teacher would not expell a kid unless the child was totally unrestrained and going wild in the class - here my Daily Mail line - I BLAME THE PARENT/S

Karen, Bolton (20/10/2006 at 09:42)

This is what happens when you take away corporal punishment. A few light slaps to the back of the legs may have made this child behave.

Paul, Manchester (20/10/2006 at 10:18)

From the pictures it looks like this is sweet, charming child, but you just know she's probably a nightmare in the classroom. The fact her mum admits she's 'challenging' makes you think her behaviour is actually atrocious. There are plenty of yobbish 5-year olds out there, so if she's anything like those spolt, selfish brats who have no discipline in the home, then yes, she should be excluded. I wouldn't have dreamed of hitting out at others when I was five because I was taught manners and respect, something sadly lacking nowadays. The mum should take a long hard look at herself and identify where she is to blame, rather than offloading the problem elsewhere.

AJ, manchester (20/10/2006 at 11:13)

Throw the book at her!! shes gonna be a terror when she grows up, "she doesnt need punishment she needs support and encouragement" - what for she needs some firm discipline. she deserves the expulsion

Ms D, Manchester (20/10/2006 at 11:50)

Schools are not there to pshycologically assess each child. They are there to TEACH and while the teachers were dealing with this girl, other children were not being taught and having their education neglected. Perhaps parents need to learn a lesson and teach their children right from wrong and also some discipline. Put the child in a special school where the teachers are trained and have the time to deal with this sort of behaviour.

Paul, Bury (20/10/2006 at 12:24)

Unsurprisingly, no mention of the father in the article.

Mike, Manchester (20/10/2006 at 12:30)

Perhaps the discipline should have started at home. Then her mother wouldn't be in the situation she is now. I know 5 year olds can be an handful but teachers don't just expel a 5 year old on a whim.

AR, Manchester (20/10/2006 at 12:40)

As to parenting skills, well agreeing to have her daughter's picture plastered all over the media for such a negative story which is likely to haunt her for her entire life........need I really say any more??

Spunky, Hulme (20/10/2006 at 12:45)

Ms. Howard, I hope you're reading this...your kid deserves it.

katrina, manchester (20/10/2006 at 13:17)

I agree with expellin any children that give teachers any kind of abuse, Why should the teachers put up with any sort of abuse and thats including from the parents, I was brought up to respect my elders no matter how much older they was or who they was to me and the children of today seem to have forgot that or the parents have forgot to mention this to their children, and if it has to be done send this child and all others to a school where they will get the 100% attention they crave as it seems most children whos parents give them 100% attention become spoilt and things have to be their way

Pamela, Crumpsall (20/10/2006 at 13:24)

This is a five year old for goodness sake. Are teachers so incompetent nowadays that they can not try to find alternatives to excluding a child at such an age when they can still be moulded and shown right from wrong. Secondary schools used to have streaming but primary schools didn't but there must be a way that this child gets a chance even if they are taught elsewhere in the school. One of the worst punishments I can remember from school was not the strap, it was having to be taught in the head teachers office for a couple of days. Tankfully, I was not one of those children who suffered that indignity.

There is another way too. That is to make the parent attend with their child to see how tey interact with others so the parent can learn too.

dave, salford (20/10/2006 at 13:42)

Her future looks very bleak. But surely now that is clear society can do something to help .

Citizen, Manchester (20/10/2006 at 13:52)

YAWN YAWN YAWN, how predictible, parent lacks skills and discipline in the first, most essential, years of her childs life, sends her child to school as a disrespectful, violent unruly little madam with no respect for anyone and then blame everyone but herself for the mess.
If this was me, 25 years ago, I would not have seen the light of day for weeks and my backside would still be stinging. The closest I would have got to The Manchester Evening News would have been a rolled up one whacking me round the head.
To coin a phrase - "It didn't do me any harm." I have no criminal record, never been in trouble and I have discipline which will be instilled in my children. The human rights act is ruining our country and we will reap the consequences when this generation comes of age.
Look at her face smiling, where is the deterrant to this child? She is rewarded with her face in the paper, smiling for assaulting her teachers. Her mother is a disgrace and the MEN should be ashamed for glorifying the situation.
No wonder the country has gone mad.

I Bashem, Didsbury (20/10/2006 at 14:16)

Corporal punishment; that's the answer. A good thrashing will stop a child being violent.(!!!)

Children often emulate at school - an elsewhere - what they see at home. Maybe social services need to spend some time on this one.

Ken, Virginia (20/10/2006 at 14:40)

During my school days in Stretford this was unheard of such misbehaving kids. Our system is becoming like America's; unruly kids and irresponsible parenting at home. Last year in Florida, a 10 yr was handcuffed and arrested by police for abusing his teachers. What has become of society. It's sad, really sad. If this is the future, we are all in trouble.

Lee, Manchester (20/10/2006 at 15:08)

Yes they should be expelled. Children don't know how to behave and think its normally to attack adualts and other children.

The parents should pay for their own private tuition

True Dad, Cheshire England (20/10/2006 at 15:35)

Paul & Andy Mac Nasty you are both spot on !!

s, man (20/10/2006 at 16:10)

corporal punishment??? what stupid people.. how do u teach a child not to be violent towards others - by giving them a slap??

Louise, Ashton (20/10/2006 at 16:18)

I can remember when I was about 5, I had a tantrum at school. I was slapped on the legs and made to stand in the corner with my hands on my head for about 10 minutes. the result was I never did it again - simple. oh, and if my parents would have found out I would have got another good hiding at home. I'm not perfect by any means but I have never knowingly harmed anyone and have worked full time my since I was 16. I had the fullest respect for both my parents and so did my sisters, despite a pretty difficult childhood one way or another. end of story.

2parent family, stretford (20/10/2006 at 16:24)

Perhaps given a stable family background this kid would be ok....I'm not a mind reader but I bet dads not there and mother is getting help from the taxpayer..now she wants us to cough up more to sort her kid out....great

Alan Crump, Los Angeles, Calif (20/10/2006 at 16:33)

Teachers should be allowed to give corporal punishment without fear of being prosecuted. As long as kids are allowed to run riot then kids will run riot. We can only wait for the circle to turn, as it will then we will get to learning and respect again.

mrs x, STRETFORD!!! (20/10/2006 at 16:59)

The health and safety has got to come first for everybody in a school, not just the pupils.We all have rights! I am a teaching assistant in a primary school and i know that if a simillar situation happened to me that my head teacer would act in the very same way.

Pandora, Manchester (20/10/2006 at 16:59)

You all talk of the lack of discipline and I couldn't agree more. However in some respects the government have taken the fundamental rights of parents away to discipline unruly kids...remeber the case of the guy that got jailed for whacking his daughter across the backside with a slipper? I don't condone beating kids mercilessly, but they should know where the line is and be too afraid to cross it. That's difficult to do with only words at your disposal. I don't think this child should be all over the newspapers either, and question not only the mothers intelligence, but the integrity of the MEN.

jean, gatley (20/10/2006 at 17:04)

Always the same moan -" someone should help me" discipline at home is the answer
a good tap on the wrist when naughty traits were displayed - even at a very early age would have given the message -this child's mother should take a good look at herself instead of trying to offload the problem but then we live in the nanny city in the nanny state!!!!

joanne, bolton (20/10/2006 at 17:06)

yes childhren should be excluded from school but all so the oarents get the blame for the child which is wrong

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