Court rules that schools do not have to take in problem pupils [independent.ie]
- Published: 11 July 2009
SECONDARY schools will find it much more difficult to offload problem pupils after a landmark High Court ruling yesterday.
The court ruled that the department was not entitled to use its appeals system to force another school to take a difficult student instead.
There has been a long-running controversy over the practice of certain schools refusing to enrol or expelling students, such as those with behavioural problems or special needs, and pointing them elsewhere.
At second-level, the Vocational Education Committee (VEC) sector claimed that it had become a "dumping ground" for such pupils.
The case centred on a fifth year Leaving Certificate student whose parents were given the clear impression that, because of his behaviour, he should not return to St Mary's Christian Brothers, Mullingar, Westmeath, in September 2007.
