DOZENS of students have been expelled from public schools across the West this year, as struggling teachers cry out for more support to deal with troubled youth.

Statistics provided to Star by the Department of Education reveal schools in the western region are expelling students at the rate of more than one a week, with 27 students banished from local schools between January and May this year alone.

Students are usually expelled as a last resort after numerous suspensions and interventions have failed to rectify problem behaviour.

Many have been expelled following extreme acts of violence, aggressive or threatening behaviour, or possession of weapons or drugs.

In September last year a 16-year-old girl was expelled from Truganina’s Al-Taqwa College for taking part in a schoolyard brawl, while students at Keilor’s Overnewton College were expelled for making a sex tape in the school toilets in 2007.

Star contacted five secondary schools and two primary schools within Wyndham last week for comment.

Werribee Secondary College principal Steve Butyn said in his 18 years at the school, only one student had ever been expelled.

The male student was expelled this year for striking a teacher.

Australian Education Union Victoria President Mary Bluett said the western suburbs had a higher number of students with behavioural problems but a disproportionate level of support.

The union is pushing to increase the number of special arrangement schools.