School bans pencil cases
A school has banned children from taking pencil cases into class in case they are used to hide sharp weapons, it emerged today.
St Anne's Primary School in Denton, Greater Manchester, took the drastic action after a boy was cut with a letter opener by another pupil.
Paul Starkie, nine, suffered minor cuts to his chest and leg when he was involved in "boisterous play" earlier this week.
Teachers discovered that the letter opener had been brought into school hidden in a pencil case and have now banned them.
The decision was branded "ridiculous" and "extreme" by education campaigners.
St Anne's headteacher Glenys Dyer said: "We have banned all pupils from bringing pencil cases and their contents into school to prevent any other potentially harmful instruments being brought into the classroom."
The boy who attacked Paul was suspended until Easter.
Ms Dyer said: "The school has taken the decision to exclude the child in question for a short period to send a clear message to both the child and the school community that this is unacceptable behaviour which we take very seriously.
"After consulting the school's chair of governors and the local education authority, we have decided to hold a return-to-school interview next week with a view to allowing the child to return after Easter.
"This decision has been made on the grounds that this wasn't a premeditated incident. It was a boisterous play between two friends which got out of hand as a consequence of involving a letter opener which had inadvertently been brought into school in a pencil case by another child, and we believe there were no malicious intentions."
Nick Seaton, chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, criticised the decision to ban pencil cases.
He said: "Most parents will think it is ridiculous to ban pencil cases just because one child carries a letter opener in his.
"It seems a bit extreme. Serious action should be taken against the particular individual, but to ban pencil cases universally is silly.
"I would have thought losing pencils and writing instruments will only have a negative effect on the children.
"The school should have just disciplined the youngster who took in the paper knife."
A National Union of Teachers spokesman said he "sympathised" with the headteacher, but added: "Whether or not the banning of pencil cases is the right answer I'm really not sure at this stage."
