Sex not gender, No Outsiders changing the Equality Act, DepHead/DSL captured

I'd be tempted to tell them to fuck off but I understand OP wants to deal with it sensitively. What a bunch of bastards

anything considered defamatory could be reported to the police.

Defamatory statements must be false.

So, I'd say, I considered this important information for the school community. I cannot delete the posts. And anything you say about me that is considered defamatory will be reported to the police.

Also, for it to be defamation it has to be untrue. And nothing you've said is untrue.

But just imagine the chilling effect on safeguarding:

' I think I saw X being inappropriate with a child but I'd better not say anything in case the school reports me to the police for defamation, they have form for threatening that'

Just delete your messages from your end, then you can show you have in good faith done this. You can't do any more, it's not technically possible.

It's incredibly unprofessional (as well as anti- a culture of safeguarding) to make an empty threat of police to a parent. If they thought you'd broken the law (you haven't) the correct course of action would be to report to police, not tell you about it first.

It's weird because your complaint was about the school having inaccurate posters not any individual. It doesn't even make sense.

The chair of governors should be acting in the bests interests of the children. Silencing parents and creating an environment of fear around raising and discussing concerns is not in the best interests of the children.

Whatsapp isn't social media, twitter is social media.

I AM SO CROSS!

Are Safe Schools Alliance keeping tabs on the number of parents who get negative push back / attempts at bullying when trying to raise concerns? Does anyone know?

It IS anti-safeguarding. This is why CHILDREN are having to protest their loss of single sex toilets because the parents are BULLIED by the schools into silence (Not all schools etc....)

If you can't speak up about something as basic as a misrepresentation of a law on a poster, or the fact that girls need single sex toilets, then what CAN you speak up about? Are parents never allowed to speak to each other? Whatsapp is the same as email anyway - it's not twitter it's messages to named specific people. It's modern day 'speaking to people'.

They don't have a leg to stand on but oh for a good lawyer willing to represent parents in this position.

dimorphism · Today 19:53

I would also like to point out this is very ANTI a culture of safeguarding. Ofsted are very interested in a culture of safeguarding in schools and this is one of the main things they consider during inspections. If parents are bullied into silence, afraid to speak up when they see something they think is wrong, then safeguarding goes out of the window.

Well, that's very interesting. Perhaps Veb should say that she'd be happy to refer it to OFSTED?

Also - massive support, solidarity and sending virtual tea and cake.

This reeks of a particularly motivated politicially driven member of staff. It's not ok to threaten parents with the police.

You know you've said nothing defamatory. Take that line in particular directly to the chair of governors and make a complaint. Threatening parents in this way would totally silence any parents less confident and assured: it's bullying and it's anti safeguarding.

Yes, I'd agree suggest the school have a parents forum to discuss it and you will remove the posts you can.

However, you have done nothing wrong so I would say something that 'in the spirit of cooperation I will remove some whatsapp posts but I have not broken the parental code of conduct and do not think it is conducive to good parent / school relations to imply I have'.

I would also like to point out this is very ANTI a culture of safeguarding. Ofsted are very interested in a culture of safeguarding in schools and this is one of the main things they consider during inspections. If parents are bullied into silence, afraid to speak up when they see something they think is wrong, then safeguarding goes out of the window.

Just to add - I do agree that they're being heavy handed - they've been caught out in the first place and now you're being targeted. Rather than them having the emotional intelligence to realise they've taken bad advice in the first place, they're lashing out at you.

They can't have policies that prevent parents from pointing out if the school is doing something wrong./ breaking the law.

I agree with that entirely.

Think it's fairly standard tbh - numerous schools "police" school related groups to try to stop open criticism of staff / the school. I'd probably see it that you've achieved your initial purpose - the posters are down, the school are aware of some of the issues and many other parents are now aware and will feel empowered to tackle future thoughtless signs ups to dubious organisations.
Maybe a gracious removal of posts critical of the school along with a request to the school to plan some future discussions with parents /about how they are navigating these issues could work?

No, you're not 'bringing them into disrepute' unless they're doing anything wrong? You said nothing rude, it was entirely evidence based.

They've brought themselves 'into disrepute' by not knowing the law, if anything.

They can't have policies that prevent parents from pointing out if the school is doing something wrong./ breaking the law. Otherwise they could teach children the earth is flat and if parents discussed it they would be 'bringing the school into disrepute' - but quite rightly as they'd be indoctrinating the kids with unscientific bunkum.

Chilling, properly chilling.

It seems more and more as if institutions feel they can silence women.

Oh crikey! I don't see how it possibly could, quite the opposite, in fact.

The school has had some inappropriate posters, a concerned parent brought it to their attention, they had a consultation, agreed with the parent and then removed the offending article. What a marvellous example of co-operation - how can you, or they themselves - bring the school into disrepute?

@Vebrithien Sorry to hear this. It's outrageous that the school is behaving like this, but it's really what I meant by schools trying hard to divide and conquer parents. It's not a healthy situation when a school is THREATENING a parent. I don't think it's unreasonable for them to ask you to remove the whatsapp messages (not saying I agree with it but I think asking politely is fine) however threatening is another matter.

Parents should be able to discuss issues that affect all pupils including sharing information the school has sent as long as it contains no personal information. Otherwise the school could be saying one thing to parent A and the opposite to parent B.

A similar thing happened at our secondary - they shut down a chat by saying no parents were allowed to post anything criticising the school - this was in response to a parent seeking views from other parents on a specific issue (nothing to do with RSE / gender etc).

Unless they are actively communicating on these issues with all parents (which they're not) then I don't see how anything you've done is wrong.

Talk about trying to silence people, I actually find this really quite chilling - our country seems to be moving towards totalitarianism.

Threats like this work on a lot of people. I know several people with SEND kids whose needs have not been met in schools who have essentially been threatened with social services when they've tried to push for more help from the school and so have backed down. Neither would have anything to worry about from SS - they're amazing parents - but it's the disruption and stress heaped upon an already stressed family and child. In one case they're homeschooling now.

@Vebrithien you have got them rattled, hence the overreaction.

Download a copy of the Parents Code of Conduct just so you have a copy as at current date.

Tell them you have removed your posts and that they will need to contact the other posters to remove their posts.

Nothing in your letters could be seen as defamatory, in fact you provided substantial evidence to back up your position.

Well, no pupil, or member of staff has been attacked, have they? The DH corresponded with you, with no disparagement of them, so they cannot feasibly claim that.

The genies is out of the bottle, anyway.