Police detained Parents in a cell for 8 hours,who complained about their kids school

[arista]

BBC News Text:
[Its main story is about police being sent
to arrest a couple - one of whom is a
Times journalist - after they complained about
their kids' school.
Police detained the pair in a cell for eight hours
and questioned them for harassment
for sending emails to the school leadership
and being critical in a WhatsApp group.
The article quotes freedom of speech
advocates and the couple,
saying they never used threatening language.]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/976/cpsprodpb/fe78/live/2f3d3be0-0c29-11f0-ba12-8d27eb561761.png.webp

[Livia]

Sounds like something Orwell might have written. The state of this country.

[Liam-]

So they were arrested and questioned for harassment then, not complaining, got it

[bots]

i think it escalated unnecessarily

[Ammi]

…I feel as though there is much more to the story than is being given but …this seems to have been something that’s been ongoing for a while in that the parents were ‘banned’ by the school for attending various school events like Christmas productions…which is not really acting in a pupil’s/child’s best interest to be singles out as having a parent/parents not being allowed to take part along with all of the other parents…apparently the initial breakdown sight the set of parents and the school came from the parents feeling that a school appointment…was it the Head Teacher appointment…?…was maybe not made in a ‘transparent’ way and that should have been something that involved governors but obviously not the police …it definitely has the feel of being handled with a heavy hand and with little thought for the children…but as I say, I’m not sure whether we have full facts and information…this is the problem with information in these current times…

[Jessica.]

They obviously were harassing the school to the point where law enforcement had to step in? How can anyone read this and not immediately come to that logical conclusion?

[Ammi]

They obviously were harassing the school to the point where law enforcement had to step in? How can anyone read this and not immediately come to that logical conclusion?

…I guess because the crux and beginning of this unfortunate escalation seems to stem from a Head’s appointment/or a deputy Head’s appointment and how it was made…?…and I do know that these appointments are not always made in merit and often decided before interview processing has happened…this has obviously been questioned…as to how it’s been questioned and the rights and wrongs of that etc…?…it doesn’t sound as though either party has come together to find a resolve in consideration of the pupils…

[Livia]

No one should be locked up for complaining about a publicly funded institution or for exercising their right to free speech. They were concerned for their disabled daughter and were blocked at every turn. Hopefully some kind solicitor will take up their case and sue the school.

[Cherie]

Just listening to this now

SIX police officers came to the house and arrested them in front of their children

Anyone think this is logical?

Being critical in a Whatsapp group .... ? is that an issue because I think we might all be arrested for being critical of someone or something at some point in time

[Cherie]

Never used abusive or threatening language in public or private....but it was considered criminal? and then they were released due to a lack of evidence....so ideally they should have read the paperwork before wasting valuable resources ...and I expect they will now face a law suit


The University that bullied Kathleen Stock out of a job has now had to pay a 565,000 fine for denying free speech...ouchy

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/03/27/kathleen-stock-criticises-sussex-university-free-speech/?msockid=26aeb14bcc4b61053e01a075cdab6040

[bots]

the police seem to be more interested in controlling speech than chasing criminals. In many ways, i can't blame the average beat cop. Would you rather face down a gang of armed crooks or someone that is stressed and raises their voice

[Ammi]

‘ The conflict reportedly began in May last year when Mr Allen said he wrote to the school governors questioning why, given that the previous head teacher had announced his retirement six months earlier, an open recruitment process had not begun.

A month later, Jackie Spriggs, who chairs the governors at the school, allegedly wrote to parents saying that the school would take action against anyone who caused “disharmony”.…’


…the reason why senior school staff are required to give long notice periods of 6-12 months is so that the selection period can begin early and enable the appointee to give their notice to their present school …so it seems like a reasonable question and was addressed correctly to the Governor board…?…

…the governor chair, though…’action to anyone who causes disharmony…’…is not a good look for the governor board/school at all…that’s pretty bad…

[Cherie]

So they were arrested and questioned for harassment then, not complaining, got it

They obviously were harassing the school to the point where law enforcement had to step in? How can anyone read this and not immediately come to that logical conclusion?

How is that a logical conclusion when they have not been charged with anything?

In fact they is no case to answer

I dread to think Jessica how you will feel in future years if you do not agree with something the school does to your child ...because trust me schools do not always get it right

[Cherie]

‘ The conflict reportedly began in May last year when Mr Allen said he wrote to the school governors questioning why, given that the previous head teacher had announced his retirement six months earlier, an open recruitment process had not begun.

A month later, Jackie Spriggs, who chairs the governors at the school, allegedly wrote to parents saying that the school would take action against anyone who caused “disharmony”.…’


…the reason why senior school staff are required to give long notice periods of 6-12 months is so that the selection period can begin early and enable the appointee to give their notice to their present school …so it seems like a reasonable auestion and addressed correctly to the Governor board…?…

…the governor chair, though…’action to anyone who causes disharmony…’…is not a good look for the governor board/school at all…that’s pretty bad…

shocking, I worked in a special needs school where the daughter of the Head went from support assistant to Deputy Head in a matter of a few years, she is now CEO of the Academy since her mother retired, nepotism in schools is not uncommon

[Quantum Boy]

They were already banned from entering the school including attending parents evenings and school shows... I'm not saying it's impossible that there was a massive over-stretch here (god knows, I've encountered some absolute arsehole teachers and headteachers) BUT I feel there is probably more to this story than is being reported, honestly. If it was just that they had suddenly had police turn up after this complaint that would be ringing massive alarm bells but the fact that they were already straight up banned from school grounds even on perant's evening... something has gone down in the past, would be my guess.

[Ammi]

…I think the saddest thing and most wrong thing for me is the impact this will have all had on the child…that her parents weren’t allowed to attend the school events …and that should have been the overriding concern and consideration …that the school were making her feel isolated for an apparent action of a parent…that’s really sad to hear…

…I can imagine that some of those WhatsApp’s/emails etc were not great, either…but the school left the parents with no form of dialogue/no form of communication etc and just cut off their voice ….anyway, the words of the governor chair in saying that they would take action against ‘disharmony’ has really been the damning thing for the school, I think…

[Ammi]

They were already banned from entering the school including attending parents evenings and school shows... I'm not saying it's impossible that there was a massive over-stretch here (god knows, I've encountered some absolute arsehole teachers and headteachers) BUT I feel there is probably more to this story than is being reported, honestly. If it was just that they had suddenly had police turn up after this complaint that would be ringing massive alarm bells but the fact that they were already straight up banned from school grounds even on perant's evening... something has gone down in the past, would be my guess.

…oh absolutely I think there is more to the story than is being written but in excluding the parents from school events…(…unless they’ve been threatening or abusive…)…is totally disregarding the child and not placing them first and above all else…and if the parents had been threatening/abusive…?…the it would feel that the ‘zero tolerance’ stance from the governor chair would cite that…as opposed ‘anyone causing disharmony…’…

[Quantum Boy]

I definitely agree that "disharmony" is an off choice of word. Zero tolerance for full on disruption to the school, sure, and basic anti-social behaviour/failing to be civilised etc. but "do not cause disharmony" does sound a bit dystopian. In a sort of "just smile and nod and there won't be any trouble :)" way.

[Ammi]

I definitely agree that "disharmony" is an off choice of word. Zero tolerance for full on disruption to the school, sure, and basic anti-social behaviour/failing to be civilised etc. but "do not cause disharmony" does sound a bit dystopian. In a sort of "just smile and nod and there won't be any trouble :)" way.

…yeah, very unfortunate wording…whatever else has happened for the breakdown if this relationship between school and parents…that’s really not going to help at all, is it…

…the only time that I’ve known a school take a stance of excluding parents from the premises had been because of threatening behaviour toward staff…or inappropriate/unacceptable behaviour with a pupil(s)…I’m not referring to sexual when I say inappropriate….

[bots]

really, if the parents were banned from the school and comms cut off, the child shouldn't have been at the school either. What if there was a family emergency or an emergency with the child. It's just not a workable situation at that level of breakdown

[Ammi]

really, if the parents were banned from the school and comms cut off, the child shouldn't have been at the school either. What if there was a family emergency or an emergency with the child. It's just not a workable situation at that level of breakdown

…I’m sure the story has more layers than are being reported but it still has the feel that it’s been handled appallingly by the school’s governors…maybe the school as well but any such action as excluding a parent…?…I would have thought would have been a governor board decision…that’s not a decision that any school staff would generally make, anyway…

[Quantum Boy]

…yeah, very unfortunate wording…whatever else has happened for the breakdown if this relationship between school and parents…that’s really not going to help at all, is it…

…the only time that I’ve known a school take a stance of excluding parents from the premises had been because of threatening behaviour toward staff…or inappropriate/unacceptable behaviour with a pupil(s)…I’m not referring to sexual when I say inappropriate….

Yes same I've only heard of it for aggressive behaviour. With one exception actually - a girl in my daughter's class's dad was banned from school grounds for selling vapes to pupils out of his car :skull:.

[Ammi]

Yes same I've only heard of it for aggressive behaviour. With one exception actually - a girl in my daughter's class's dad was banned from school grounds for selling vapes to pupils out of his car :skull:.

…that’s really worrying, to primary school children…but yeah, that’s an understandable exclusion action for sure…

[Mystic Mock]

…I feel as though there is much more to the story than is being given but …this seems to have been something that’s been ongoing for a while in that the parents were ‘banned’ by the school for attending various school events like Christmas productions…which is not really acting in a pupil’s/child’s best interest to be singles out as having a parent/parents not being allowed to take part along with all of the other parents…apparently the initial breakdown sight the set of parents and the school came from the parents feeling that a school appointment…was it the Head Teacher appointment…?…was maybe not made in a ‘transparent’ way and that should have been something that involved governors but obviously not the police …it definitely has the feel of being handled with a heavy hand and with little thought for the children…but as I say, I’m not sure whether we have full facts and information…this is the problem with information in these current times…

This.

[Cherie]

Heard the parents interviewed by Vanessa Feltz tonight, the police when they turned up could not confirm that the malicious intent was as they were not across all the paperwork, and after 8 hours in custody and 5 weeks later it was decided there was no case to answer......from what I heard I think they will be suing....their 3 year old daughter was tramatised... the ladies 80 year old Mum with a heart condition was called to babysit..... she subsequently got ill...I think the payout will be masssive

[Jessica.]

How is that a logical conclusion when they have not been charged with anything?

In fact they is no case to answer

I dread to think Jessica how you will feel in future years if you do not agree with something the school does to your child ...because trust me schools do not always get it right

I had a diabolical time in school and I'd move mountains for my child to have a better experience than I did but I've moved on from my spamming era, those parents are desperate for a resolution but doing it to the point where they need to be detained is going to make things worse for the child.

[Ammi]

…just a little by the by with this …Maxie Allen/the father had himself previously been on the board of governors for the school…

[Cherie]

with regard to the 80 emails sent over a 6 month period, that was their only way of communicating with the school, so for sickness absence, advising about their childs epilepsy etc, I mean its a lot but is it worthy of calling the police which seems to be done because in a private Whatsapp group they intimated the DH wasnt up to much :laugh: when the police were questione as to what the malicious messages were the police said they had not read all the evidence, surely this is a cart before the horse situation that will cost them dearly ...well the taxpayer at any rate

[bots]

how often have the police actually been held accountable for their actions. There have been lots of investigations, enquiries etc where they have been criticised, but nothing ever happens. They just carry on and do whatever they want

If they are fined, it will be the public that foots the bill

[arista]

6 Police Officers used to
arrest them

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GnKcrCIa8AA0BZd?format=jpg&name=900x900

[Maru]

In contrast, I know teachers and admin here that would love parents to be that involved in their children's education. We need more parents involved.