A PARENT-TEACHER champion from Dorchester is calling on the Government to listen to mums and dads in the fight against bad classroom behaviour.

Margaret Morrissey, spokeswoman for the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations, says the recently-announced expert group to look into the problems of disruptive pupils needs input from parents and children if it is to be effective.

The call comes after Friday's announcement that headteachers and teachers from schools with good behaviour records have been selected to advise the government on how to tackle low-level bullying and aggravating behaviour that disrupts teaching.

Mrs Morrissey says she and fellow members of the confederation will be lobbying Education Secretary Ruth Kelly to include responsible parents and young people on the panel.

She said: "With almost 13,000 member PTAs representing the voice of around eight million parents the confederation is close to the issues that matter to parents.

"Responsible parents want their children to learn in a structured and trouble-free environment. So, including parent representatives within the expert group would give a valuable insight and support for the new initiative.

"However, it would be a mistake to overlook the young people themselves. Unless the group involves the people affected by disruptive behaviour and those causing the disruption, change is unlikely to happen.

"Much as drink drive campaigns have succeeded in criminalising drinking and driving the Government needs to make bad behaviour unacceptable and make it cool to behave well, not just in school but in society generally."

Mrs Morrissey warned that the process of changing bad behaviour in schools was not likely to be a quick one and there would be problems along the way.

She said: "It is likely that more young people may be excluded as part of a focus on delivering a culture of respect.

"If this situation occurs, the education system needs to have more special units with the resources to change the mindset of disruptive students."

Mrs Morrissey said to exclude parents and children from the expert group would be to miss an opportunity to make a real difference to the way things stand at the moment.

She said: "We shouldn't be asking teachers to cure all the ills of the nation - they're part of the team, but they're not the total answer.

"Together responsible parents and interested young people can help make the change in culture that will benefit not just teachers but the wider community as well."