This article reports on a comparative policy analysis which examined education policy guiding the use of exclusionary discipline practices across four Australian states (Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, and Queensland). Exclusionary practices, such as suspensions and exclusions, are commonly used to respond to problematic student behaviour, yet their effectiveness as a behaviour management strategy remains unsupported by research. Through a comparative analysis of current policy in four Australian states, we find commonalities and differences in both the purpose and practice of exclusions, with their use warranted for disruptive and disobedient behaviours, as well as those considered abusive or violent. With little consideration given to the conditions that contribute towards student behaviour, the policies frame individual students as the problem, largely ignoring the powerful influence on student behaviour of complex home lives, poverty, culture, poor pedagogy, irrelevant curricula and repressive discipline regimes in compromising student--teacher relationships. In prioritising the needs of the school over the individual, exclusionary policies perpetuate the disengagement and isolation of children and young people who struggle to adapt to the rules and regulations within the school environment, exacerbating the disadvantage already experienced by vulnerable groups of students.