"Hard to Help" young people

Labour and Conservative party speakers each made statements today about bad behaviour in schools. There appears to be some kind of competition to see who can look the toughest. Whether it's giving Heads licence to just chuck 'em out...or setting up special( approved?) schools with resident behavioural therapists to find out what's wrong with the little monkeys....the ones who chat to one another in school...get bored and try to use mobiles ...text friends... these young crinimal helements need some tough love...some discipline... Oh dear..... when will it all turn around...? When will we see the futility of it all? I posted my thoughts here a while back...treat them as consumers and work with them to design a system that will engage them...hold their interest..Have a long hard think about WHAT exactly.. in this age of information on tap...they do actually need to learn...and how they can best be motivated to learn it...... break down schools into small units..spread education around the community...use learning centres near home...teach facts using technology...reward learning progress.... Our schools will one day look as old fashioned as the Henry Ford production line..and the military/penal institution model on which it is based.