Family hits back at school in dirt row
Teacher accused of humiliating pupil over grass stain
ABOY says he was humiliated when his teacher allegedly told him to show his school year group the grass stains on his shirt, says his grandmother.
Charlie Dodd, nine, was reportedly ordered to stand up in assembly on Wednesday afternoon at Rowanfield Junior School in Alstone Lane, Cheltenham.
Charlie claims that his teacher said: “If I was his mum I wouldn’t be happy.”
His grandmother Susan Johnson, 55, said: “This in my opinion is totally unacceptable.
“No one has the right to humiliate a child like that.”
Charlie, of Cape Ruby Close in Bishop’s Cleeve, stained his shirt on Wednesday lunchtime when he slipped on grass while playing tag in the school playground.
Ms Johnson, a legal adviser, said: “He didn’t mind in the slightest. He just carried on.”
Charlie’s two lessons after lunch passed without incident, he told his family.
But Charlie claimed that a teacher paused the handing out of awards in the middle of that afternoon’s school assembly to address him.
Ms Johnson said: “He was asked to stand up in the space where he had been sitting on his chair and then asked to turn so that everyone could see the back of his shirt.”
The teacher allegedly said she would not be happy if she was Charlie’s mum in front of around 90 of his fellow pupils in assembly.
“Charlie says he then just sat back down,” Ms Johnson continued. “He is only nine years old.
“A kid of that age lacking in confidence could have been badly damaged.
“The teacher needs to be spoken to about it.
“He wouldn’t make something like that up.”
She says the family only learned of the incident when Charlie’s mum Claire Williams was told by one of his school friends.
Another of Charlie’s classmates asked him if he was OK, Ms Johnson added.
The school’s executive head teacher Claire Savory said: “The school prioritises the welfare and wellbeing of all children and has a proven track record of outstanding pastoral care and support.
“If a parent or other carer has any concerns we would expect them to contact the school directly to raise their concern in the first instance so that we can investigate fully and respond in line with our complaints procedure.
“If Ms Johnson would like to bring this matter to us directly in school we will be able to move this process forward.” conor.gogarty@reachplc.com