‘Aggressive’ parent in classroom tug-of-war

Woman denies charges of assault after incident in school room

A trial at Perth Sheriff Court has been told an “irrational and aggressive” mother stormed into her child’s classroom and assaulted their teacher and head teacher.

The woman is said to have barged into the teaching area at the primary school on the final day of term in October 2016.

Pupils had already left for the day but the 42-year-old, of Kinross, had apparently attended to take home her son’s jotters and text books ahead of a move to another school.

Matters escalated, however, when she was told she should not be in the classroom and would not be able to take the books as they belonged to the school.

The court heard the accused had entered into a standoff with school staff, prompting one to rush to get the head teacher.

Moments later, the school head said she had found herself embroiled in a tugof-war over a jotter with the parent.

Witnesses said the accused prevailed and tore the jotter from the head teacher’s hand before holding it aloft, triumphantly.

She is then said to have barged her way from the classroom, striking a teacher on the arm and the head teacher in the back as she did so.

The court heard correct procedure was for school work to be passed between schools at point of registration when pupils transferred.

The woman denies the allegations and has pled not guilty to three charges, including two of assault.

The head teacher told Perth Sheriff Court: “The decision to call the police was not one I took lightly, but there had been an assault and I was concerned for (the accused’s) wellbeing.”

The head teacher said she had been concerned for the safety of her staff.

The court heard the accused had rummaged through stacks of pupils’ work looking for jotters “belonging” to her child and had also rifled through bookcases, from which she plucked a jotter.

The witness said: “She was still shouting and said that the books belonged to her son and she was taking them.

“I offered to ensure that we could get the books she was looking for sent to her.

“She had a book in her hand at this point and she was waving it in her hand, in a way that was almost triumphant.

“I went to take the book from her and she pulled it away. I just backed off and let her keep it. She was obviously in a state of heightened anger.

“She was not acting rationally and she was quite threatening in her behaviour. (She) then lifted her arm and hit one of the teachers on the arm and as she moved past, on her way out of the classroom. That is when she hit me.”

It was suggested by the defence solicitor the assaults had not taken place but she said this was a “slur” on her professionalism.

The trial, before Sheriff Gillian Wade, will continue on January 22, when the case for the defence will begin.

She was obviously in a state of heightened anger. She was not acting rationally and she was quite threatening in her behaviour