'More discipline needed at home and in school' ; Pupils in Aberdeen are out of control, a North-east politician has claimed.

Pupils in Aberdeen are out of control, a North-east politicianhas claimed.

Reacting to the latest figures on children being suspended fromcity schools, Tory MSP Alex Johnstone, pictured, has called formore discipline, both at home and in school.

He said: "Kids are out of control. There is less discipline insociety today than there was a generation ago.

"There is less discipline at school and there is less disciplineat home.

"My worry is the effect it has on the other children who arethere to learn.

"Suspensions are a solution in the short term, but the long-term solution must be to have a more disciplined society."

As reported in yesterday's Evening Express, 136 secondary, 21primary and seven special school pupils were suspended in the firstterm of the new school year in northern areas of Aberdeen.

Two pupils were expelled and 55 students lost more than five daysof school as a result of suspensions.

And although figures for exclusions are being reduced, both cityand Aberdeenshire councils are battling to improve pupil behaviour.

But Aberdeen education spokeswoman Kirsty West said schoolsneeded to discuss problems with parents and families as soon as theywere noticed, either by teachers, or by other professionals, such ashealth visitors.

She said: "We are trying to intervene early and discuss problems.This involves everyone, not just teachers.

"Schools need to still have the facility to exclude but thisdoes not mean that our teachers cannot keep control."

Steve Hothersall, senior lecturer in social work at The RobertGordon University, said: "Teachers absorb a lot that we don't seeand none of them want to go down the route of suspensions.

"They do a hard job and they keep a lot of children in educationthat might not be otherwise."

Elaine Anderson, 46, from Cove, whose son Marc, 12, goes toKincorth Academy, said: "I do sometimes hear of a child that mayhave been suspended for two or three days at a time.

"Unruly pupils can disrupt the rest of the class, meaning it canspoil the other children's chance of an education."

nevans@ajl.co.uk