Pupils ‘put nuts on desk of teacher with severe allergy’
Lie detector bid to fight exclusion
A SCHOOL suspended two girls after crushed nuts were left on the desk of a teacher with a severe allergy.
Sixth-formers Alexandra McDonald, 16, and Maddie Colley, 17, were excluded for 20 days following claims they were seen “giggling” near the classroom.
But they insist they are innocent – and Alexandra’s dad Peter paid £600 for her to have a lie detector test.
The 64-year-old claims the two-hour grilling cleared her, showing she was 97% likely to be telling the truth.
He said: “I told Alex we believed her but the school didn’t. She said she wanted to do the lie detector test.
“There were three rounds including practice questions and Alex passed all of them. They filmed the whole thing. Alex was asked questions which covered Maddie too.
“The school said it was a serious health and safety offence and the teacher could have died. They said a witness saw the girls giggling in the hallway close to the classroom during the time period they think it happened.
“The teacher apparently looked up because they heard the giggling but that isn’t evidence they did it. The school said they excluded the girls based on the probability that they did it – there is no evidence. It’s ridiculous.” Maddie’s mum Michele added: “I was relieved when Peter told me he hired a lie detector test.
“We wanted to go back to the school with some facts because they say the girls did it on probability.”
Girls-only Rochester Grammar School in Kent said the incident breached a strict “no nuts” policy and was a deliberate attempt to endanger the staff member.
Company director Peter says it refuses to review the decision and he is considering meeting governors.
Rochester Grammar School said: “We make no apologies and are surprised a parent of one of the students does not see the seriousness of their actions.” PETER McDONALD ON CLAIMS OVER DAUGHTER
A witness saw girls giggling... but it’s not evidence