No right-thinking person can fail to be shocked by our story revealing the numbers of pupils suspended or expelled from schools for violence. One student every 90 minutes is a frightening rate and it must be remembered that this is for violence against a pupil or teacher, one of the most serious offences they could commit.

It is right and proper that the attackers are kept away from their victims. No youngster should have to enter the school gates fearing for their safety and no teacher should have to attempt to control a class with their authority undermined by the presence of a yob who has assaulted them.

Other pupils, too, must not have their lessons, their learning and even their future put in jeopardy by violent youngsters who would rather disrupt than fit in.

But while suspension or expulsion tackles the immediate problem, it is not the whole answer. For these shocking statistics must mean that there are many young people out there who think it is acceptable to use violence. Where do they get this idea from?

For a pupil to return to school after an enforced ban, they and their family must first sign a contract pledging to mend their ways. The inclusion of family here is significant. It suggests that good parenting is vital for good behaviour and, it follows, bad parenting can cause bad behaviour.

Children are too important to be left to bring themselves up, and parents who don't want to accept this must be made to.