NO one who has lived in England over the past 25 years should be surprised at the expulsion figures for York area schools.

They epitomise English society as it really is. UK society is very poor, and will remain so until we vote in a Government that is not Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat or Green.

Excuses are offered by people (usually well-meaning do-gooders) as to why we face truly unacceptable behaviour in schools - but excuses are all they are!

It is too easy to blame poor teachers, boring lessons, old buildings, lack of facilities, poor pay and conditions and under-funding. The main reason is lack of discipline because there is no effective deterrent.

When I was at my three York-based schools between 1951 and 1963, no one dared commit the offences listed in The Temporary Exclusions By Type 2005-2006.

We all knew we would be punished with detention, lines, a beating, a letter to our parents or expulsion. We knew right from wrong, respected our teachers, feared a few, believed in our school, and most of us genuinely wanted to learn.

Many of today's parents have never known real discipline and many fail to back up the teacher when he or she attempts to correct awful behaviour.

Young people have few decent role models to follow and the same goes for the rest of us as we notice the carryings-on of politicians, churchmen, businessmen, sportspeople, musicians, artists and academics.

If we left the European Union, ditched the Human Rights Act, then reintroduced capital punishment, corporal punishment, conscription and spent our foreign aid budget on UK education, we would very soon see a marked improvement in schools and in the entire nation.

The good would benefit enormously, while the bad would be eliminated.

David Quarrie,

Lynden Way,

Holgate, York.

Updated: 09:52 Friday, May 05, 2006