My Local Paper

Mitcham & Morden Guardian Paper
yourlocalguardian.co.uk

Today on the front of The Guardian was the headlines ABSOLUTE DISGRACE about Bishopsford Community School regarding a suspened pupil. I found the article to be of intrest as was about how a boy was seemingly praised for his bad behaviour within my community.


ABSOLUTE DISGRACE?

Suspended pupil given jolly at national radio station
by Craig Burnett
cburnett@london.newsquest.co.uk



A national radio sttion has outraged a Morden headteacher after offering a schoolboy the chance to go behind the scenes on its breakfast show.

Absolute Radio gave a pupil from Bishopsford Community school in Morden the chance to help out on the breakfast show for one day earlier this month, as he was serving a three-day suspension from the school in Lilleshall Road.

The station said a 5am start and "hard day's graft" would make the 13-year-old grateful for life at school- but his headteacher knew nothing of the stunt and said the expereince sent out wrong messages.

The boy's parents intitially called the station's morning show to ask for advice on confiscating their son's mobile phone because of his baf behaviour. When host Christian O'Connell heard their story he offered the teenager the chance to come to the studio for a morning.

In a press release promoting the stunt, an absolute spokesman said the 13-year-old "reported for duty at 6am and was immediately set to work on the very important task of making tea for everyone. After that is was staight on the phones to take calls from the public and help in making sure everything behind the scenes."

The pupil later said he "really enjoyed" the day, while his mum said: "You can't turn down a chance like this - not many people get to do it."

But headteacher Andrew Barker was less than im pressed. "The child should have been at home - it's the wrong sort of publicity for someone who is being punished, " he said.
"There are lots of fantastic kids here who would have loved to have this opportunity as a reward for good behaviour. It would have been helpful if there was some sort of communication with us."
Reacting to the story online, one yourlocalguardian.co.uk reader said: "what about all the good hard working children out there who behave, what do they get?" while another said: "I'm absolutely livid about this."
A spokesman for the station said: "He was put through his paces on the show and certainly understood that it wasn't going to be an easy day. We sent him home straight after the show finished at 10am with the full day stretching ahead of him - and with orders to do his homework and start behaving himself."