Weir tops class for bad behaviour

A TOWNSVILLE primary school has been outed as the worst in the state, handing out the most suspensions to troublesome students.

New Department of Education data revealed the Weir State School, in Kirwan, issued a staggering 567 short suspensions last year.

According to the department, a short suspension can last between one and 10 days and a long suspension ranges from 11 to 20 days.

Pimlico State High School had the second highest number of suspensions in Townsville with 164 counted in semester one of 2019 followed by 198 in semester two that year.

Northern Beaches State High School had 168 suspensions in semester one, with 162 in semester two.

Charters Towers State High School had 160 short suspensions in semester one, and Spinifex State College – Mount Isa Education and Training Precinct had 157 suspensions in semester one.

Meanwhile, Aitkenvale State High School had 157 suspensions in semester two, and Thuringowa State High School had 144 suspensions in the same semester.

Students can be excluded from attending any state school for up to 12 months, or permanently, if their behaviour is so serious that suspensions are considered inadequate.

A school principal can also cancel the enrolment of a student if they persistently refuse to participate in the program of instruction, according to the Department of Education.

Queensland Teachers Union president Kevin Bates told the Brisbane Times teachers were dealing with “some extremely challenging behaviours among younger students”.

“It is often noncompliance, violent outbursts, attacks on other students and staff that are the most extreme examples and they often come from underlying factors such as fatigue,” he said.