TEENAGERS have urged caution after "over the top" plans to crack down on disruptive pupils were announced.

Education Secretary Ruth Kelly last week called for a tougher line on "low-level" problems like talking back to teachers, chatting, chewing gum and using mobile phones in lessons.

For persistent offenders, punishments could include being taken out of lessons or even away from the school to continue their education without disrupting their class.

However, in a letter to the Evening News, 14-year-old Vicky Porter, a pupil at The Chase Technology College, Malvern, said there was a balance to be struck.

"I feel it contains good ideas but some of the things, like instant punishments, are over the top," she said.

"The only way a set of rules can be fair and workable is if they are as lenient as possible without causing anarchy.

"In the event of a minor disruption the teacher should always ask why the student is doing wrong and let the pupil explain.

"Most of us want a classroom which is orderly, fair and fun. We do not want a return to 1984."

The view is neither right or wrong but another side to an interesting and on-going "carrot or the stick" argument over school discipline.

However, it reminds us how easy and erroneous it is to assume pupils do not have views on educational issues - after all, it is they, not teachers, that schools are geared towards.