TEACHERS today are not given enough support from pupils parents, and it is leading to children becoming more unruly and unmanageable, writes Louise McEvoy. There used to be a time when, without question, parents would back teachers up when their child wa

TEACHERS today are not given enough support from pupils' parents, and it is leading to children becoming more unruly and unmanageable, writes Louise McEvoy.

There used to be a time when, without question, parents would back teachers up when their child was in trouble at school. A scolding at school would automatically be followed by a reprimand at home. It was a united front and children knew where they stood.

Now there is a culture where parents defend their little darlings to the last, often undermining teachers in front of their children.

A four-year-old has just become one of the youngest children in Britain to be expelled from school, thrown out weeks after starting for constantly disrupting classes and attacking teachers.

Instead of being mortified and ashamed of their son for his behaviour, his parents have leapt to his defence and declared him simply "lively" and sometimes "a bit boisterous".

The young boy's mother has used his age as an excuse for his behaviour, but any four-year-old should know how to behave properly and know the difference between right and wrong.

Before he was expelled, he was sent home from class on four separate occasions, but his parents refused to agree to a special action plan to deal with his behaviour.

Teachers should be fully supported by parents in what is a difficult, demanding and dedicated profession, and parents should accept when their children are simply naughty.

Some parents put their children's unruly behaviour down to a modern illness such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). It seems this is becoming an increasing trend, as more and more badly behaved children are diagnosed with such conditions. It seems perverse that some parents would prefer to label their children as ill, instead of plain naughty.

ADHD - which includes symptoms such as being easily distracted, finding it difficult to follow instructions, finding it difficult to play quietly, and often interrupting others - has become a dumping ground for bad behaviour. For many, it is simply an excuse for poor parenting.