New Zealand families' experience of having a teenager excluded from school

While international literature asserts that research interest in the formal exclusion of students from school is increasing, studies that give voice to parents' views are few. This study explores the experiences of New Zealand families affected by exclusion. Eight individuals or couples, all of whom had had a teenager for whom they were responsible excluded from school during 2007, were interviewed and the interview transcripts analysed using a phenomenological methodology. While the parents communicated as caring and articulate people, they reported significant negative emotional and practical impacts. Strong views were expressed concerning both the process and its effect on their family. Parents reported feeling that they were being punished for the student's misbehaviour, sometimes to a greater extent than their teenager. It was evident that parents felt they had been involved in a process that was more adversarial than cooperative. The parents' views are discussed in the light of current international literature and New Zealand educational policy.