They are creating problems even when not there

The Department for Children, etc. has published figures for absences from school, presumably for England and Wales, for the period September 2008 to April 2009.

There is one ray of hope, in that the number of students classed as habitual truants, that is missing the equivalent of one day a week, fell slightly, from 304,260 to 272,760, or about 10%. This was in response to a multi-billion pound truancy strategy which, according to shadow minister Nick Gibb, amounts to failure.

Nationally about 65,000 students are missing school every day, with the number of children involved rising by about 3000. This is partly due to truancy, but also due to parents ignoring the warning that they could face fines and prosecution, and taking their children away during term time.

We have a failing educational system, beginning in the home and going on to failures of various kinds in school. Adequate literacy and numeracy has fallen and stubbornly resisted all attempts at redress. It goes without saying that with trouble makers missing from class there will be fewer discipline problems. Those missing however are often those who can least afford to miss any schooling.