I am writing to you about the imminent expulsion of Brian Lyons. I was disappointed to hear that this decision had been reached and I urge you to reconsider your harsh judgment.

Dear Sir/Madam

Brian has had a tough start in life. Before he had even started school, both his parents died in a car crash that he was lucky to survive, but that was the last piece of luck he would encounter in a long time. He spent the following ten years in eight different homes, and with every move the sense of rejection grew. Are you deal out yet another rejection?

Taking drugs is obviously a serious offence and it can’t be tolerated in school. I am not asking you to ignore his wrongs, but to give him a chance of rehabilitation. Brian knows the seriousness of his crime and wants to make amends. Perhaps his punishment could be something that would benefit the school. He would happily pick up litter or help out at the year 7’s football practice. Brian has been a shining light for the local football team and his skill and expertise could be something that could inspire the youngsters. Surely it would be a more powerful ...

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Brian has made mistakes in his life, but he is also someone with enormous potential to do good. At times he has been led astray by older students, but there have been countless occasions when he has shown incredible kindness towards me. There was one day when I was being bullied by a group of students; Brian found me crying in the toilets. He sat and talked through my issues and encouraged me to ignore the insults and to stand up to the bullies. He stood by me when few else would. It would have been easy for him to join in with the bullies, but he put his popularity on the line and showed the bullies that we can’t win. There are times to exclude students when they have reached the end of the road and are a blot on the school’s reputation, but Brian is not that. He is a brave young man who has made a stupid mistake; he is certainly not at the end of the road, but at a crossroads. You hold the keys to his life and can send him down the road to ruin or show a little bit of compassion and put him back on the right road.

Discipline is something everyone needs, but it needs to be measured and appropriate. Dwain Chambers is an example of someone who has done the same crime as Brian and has made a return to the sport he loves. He was banned for a short time and served his time, but is now back and competing legally. Should we destroy people for one mistake? Should someone be forced to wear the robes of disgrace forever? Have you never made a mistake in your life?

I am not the only person that feels this way. My entire form have sympathy for Brian. We support him and want to stand by him at this time. A mistake has been made by one young person? Please don’t make another one.

Yours faithfully

Brian’s friend