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Police arrest parents who slate school on class WhatsApp

1000 replies

noblegiraffe · 29/03/2025 09:29

A primary school sought advice from the police after '“a high volume of direct correspondence and public social media posts” that had become upsetting for staff, parents and governors.' and the police response was to send 6 officers to their house to arrest the couple making the posts and put them in a cell all day.

Although the couple sound like an absolute pain in the arse who should pack it in, 6 police officers seems like a teensy bit of overkill, particularly with the amount of crime currently going uninvestigated. But with schools faced with spiralling numbers of vexatious parental complaints, something needs to happen. I think some unions are starting to offer legal advice and template solicitor letters for this situation.

https://www.thetimes.com/article/d8c8566b-99b1-45c6-814b-008042d74a3a?shareToken=6deab807d148cf7695ed4d9d3664c51e

Police arrest parents who complained in school WhatsApp group

The couple were detained in front of their daughter and kept in a cell for eight hours over their messages on the app as well as emails sent to the school

https://www.thetimes.com/article/d8c8566b-99b1-45c6-814b-008042d74a3a?shareToken=6deab807d148cf7695ed4d9d3664c51e

OP posts:
Thread gallery
13
Rivertrudge · 29/03/2025 13:14

AintNoPartyLikeANumber10Party · 29/03/2025 12:04

I’ve just checked… I’ve sent 40 emails to school about one of my children (who has special needs) over the last 6 months… It’s the standard way to communicate with our school and teachers. I don’t think I’m harassing anyone 😀
(I’m also a school governor so in addition to this I send loads of emails to school about other things.)
And I admit I’m not always polite about the school in private what’s app messages.)

Does anyone think I deserve a visit from the police?

The article says 45 email chains, not 45 emails.

Since you’re a governor I’m surprised you don’t realise that there must have been significant problems of aggression or similar for the parents to have to be banned from the premises. I’m also surprised you don’t realise that the school can’t defend themselves publicly because of safeguarding and data protection concerns about the child.

Roosnoodles · 29/03/2025 13:14

if people understood the complaints procedure they wouldn’t get so upset. There are some bad and good schools. Just report the school to the D F E or Ofstead if you feel like a schools being unreasonable. You can change schools as well.

User46576 · 29/03/2025 13:14

MarzipanAndFrenchFancies · 29/03/2025 13:09

No but if head teachers and teachers spend a proportion of their working day responding to 'critical emails' or parent complaints, the end result is they are not running the school or teaching the children.

The issue here is not that they didn’t respond because they were busy. It’s that the parents were arrested by the police and locked in a cell for making perfectly lawful complaints!

Friendlyjellyfish · 29/03/2025 13:14

SuperTrooper14 · 29/03/2025 13:08

Did you disparage any staff member by name? If it was just a general moan, then it's fine. It's when parents go after individuals that you can be accused of defamation. Plus it was a one-off review, not a string of slagging off comments.

Thank you for the reassurance. No, I’d never mention a persons name. It worked out so well - the review was acknowledged and changes were made as a result. The school was even praised by Ofsted recently.

I used that platform due to being neighbours with a teacher and didn’t want to make it awkward between us!

noblegiraffe · 29/03/2025 13:14

CalleOcho · 29/03/2025 13:13

You can’t judge someone’s temperament based on which political party they’re a member of.

Violent and aggressive people come from all walks of life, classes, races and religions.

There were 6 officers there for a reason.

Yes, and it wasn't, in this case, because of a threat of violence.

OP posts:
User46576 · 29/03/2025 13:16

Rivertrudge · 29/03/2025 13:14

The article says 45 email chains, not 45 emails.

Since you’re a governor I’m surprised you don’t realise that there must have been significant problems of aggression or similar for the parents to have to be banned from the premises. I’m also surprised you don’t realise that the school can’t defend themselves publicly because of safeguarding and data protection concerns about the child.

Edited

We don’t know why the school banned the parents from the premises. Neither data protection laws or “safeguarding” prevent them from telling us given that there are no criminal charges against the parents.

noblegiraffe · 29/03/2025 13:16

Roosnoodles · 29/03/2025 13:14

if people understood the complaints procedure they wouldn’t get so upset. There are some bad and good schools. Just report the school to the D F E or Ofstead if you feel like a schools being unreasonable. You can change schools as well.

Terrible advice, and a massive part of the problem.

"As discussed in Schools Week previously, Browne Jacobson’s latest School Leaders Survey reveals a consistent increase in the number and complexity of complaints from parents, detrimentally impacting staff wellbeing and retention as well as quality of education.
Over half of respondents strongly agreed that parents and carers submitting complaints to multiple agencies while internal school procedures were ongoing (e.g. local authorities, MPs, Ofsted and the department for education) were creating additional burden.
We can now add the Teacher Regulation Authority (TRA) to the list of recipients in this scatter-gun approach. Its new data shows teacher misconduct referrals have more than doubled in the past two years, from 714 in 2021/22 to 1,038 in 2022/23 and 1,684 in 2023/24. This, it notes, “has been largely driven by an increase in the number of referrals made by members of the public.”"

The Knowledge. How schools are managing rising complaints

New research shows the impact of increasing vexatiousness - from mental health impacts to training and innovations

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/how-are-schools-dealing-with-rising-parental-complaints/

OP posts:
Crazyworldmum · 29/03/2025 13:17

Hihosilver123 · 29/03/2025 09:38

No, not over the top. Good for the school. I’m a headteacher and the amount of abuse from parents that schools and heads are being subjected to has gone through the roof over the last few years. School staff need to be protected from harassment.

The parents were not abusive at all !! You think you are the right to get good people arrested simply because they complaint about the school ? Wow you shouldn’t be a headteacher then

Daisymae23 · 29/03/2025 13:19

DonaldMacRonald · 29/03/2025 12:24

So you should be free to be abusive and threatening in WhatsApp and there should be no repercussions?

And no, everyone's safety is important. How to administer medication can be explained by means other than face to face if staff will be unsafe meeting with this odious pair.

But the what’sapp weren’t to the staff - they were about the staff/school. That is a clear difference to me.

what confuses me is there was a thread on Mumsnet last week about a man who was denied entry into the US for saying bad things about Trump on a what’s app and everyone thought that was shocking and bad.

the pair sound incredibly annoying and there may be more to the story but does seem a bit excessive that 6 policemen turned up and then there was not enough evidence to prosecute.

User46576 · 29/03/2025 13:19

FrippEnos · 29/03/2025 13:05

When it goes beyond criticism and becomes bullying and harassment then yes, those doing so should be held accountable and if required arrested.

There was no crime committed here. “Bullying” is not a crime anyway and it seems more to be directed from the school to the parents from the information we have.

Sunshineandoranges · 29/03/2025 13:20

Erm..I don’t like or dislike this couple but can’t see any malicious comments in any of the report. And why would police need to send so many people to arrest the couple and seize devices. That makes 3 to seize devices when presumably all emails and WhatsApp messages are already in the school’s possession.

Kandalama · 29/03/2025 13:20

Daisymae23 · 29/03/2025 10:11

I have read the article and one thing that stood out to me was that the parents were not permitted to meet with the child’s teacher to discuss how to administer medication to their epileptic child and were told to send emails. (They had been banned from the school)

whatever the thoughts on the parents - child safety should be first.

also - it was in what’s app groups. This seems terrifying that you can be arrested for what you put in what’s app??

Agree.
The Childs safety is paramount and whilst other things may be happening in the background the school are seriously at fault for not considering the child’s safety first and foremost.

Roosnoodles · 29/03/2025 13:20

noblegiraffe · 29/03/2025 13:16

Terrible advice, and a massive part of the problem.

"As discussed in Schools Week previously, Browne Jacobson’s latest School Leaders Survey reveals a consistent increase in the number and complexity of complaints from parents, detrimentally impacting staff wellbeing and retention as well as quality of education.
Over half of respondents strongly agreed that parents and carers submitting complaints to multiple agencies while internal school procedures were ongoing (e.g. local authorities, MPs, Ofsted and the department for education) were creating additional burden.
We can now add the Teacher Regulation Authority (TRA) to the list of recipients in this scatter-gun approach. Its new data shows teacher misconduct referrals have more than doubled in the past two years, from 714 in 2021/22 to 1,038 in 2022/23 and 1,684 in 2023/24. This, it notes, “has been largely driven by an increase in the number of referrals made by members of the public.”"

Things get done when you go through the proper channels. these organisations utilise this information for the children in the schools care. Far more appropriate and a stronger position than moaning on Facebook or WhatsApp.

Crazyworldmum · 29/03/2025 13:20

sidebirds · 29/03/2025 12:51

well said. the parents were moderate in their behaviour and - despite the heavy-handed deployment of the police to their home, and the incarceration - there was no case to answer.

x.com/timesradio/status/1905693691416883419?s=46

This !!! People should be able to query the headteacher and the school board as many times as they need , specifically either a child with special needs . The iate tá did Notting wrong and it’s been proven that way as no change was made against them !

Sunshineandoranges · 29/03/2025 13:21

Where is the abusive and threatening stuff people are going on about. I can’t see it?

anyolddinosaur · 29/03/2025 13:21

Some teachers get harassed, some teachers and headteachers are arrogant tossers who think they know your kids better than you do. I think it's telling that other parents support the family and dont think much of the school either.

I hope the police had words with the head about wasting police resources.

Kandalama · 29/03/2025 13:22

User46576 · 29/03/2025 13:19

There was no crime committed here. “Bullying” is not a crime anyway and it seems more to be directed from the school to the parents from the information we have.

Agree.
Ive read the whole thing and I just don’t get it.

Police should be out arresting criminals. This is nonsense and should have been shut down immediately without the expense to the tax payer of 6 officers, a property search and time locked up.

User46576 · 29/03/2025 13:22

Crazyworldmum · 29/03/2025 13:17

The parents were not abusive at all !! You think you are the right to get good people arrested simply because they complaint about the school ? Wow you shouldn’t be a headteacher then

It’s shocking that people like that are in charge of teaching our children. No one is immune from criticism and certainly not schools!

Rivertrudge · 29/03/2025 13:22

Crazyworldmum · 29/03/2025 13:17

The parents were not abusive at all !! You think you are the right to get good people arrested simply because they complaint about the school ? Wow you shouldn’t be a headteacher then

How do you know the parents hadn’t been abusive? And why do you think the parents had been banned from the premises?

Annony331 · 29/03/2025 13:23

If you use abusive or insulting language that endangers staff or students, the school has the authority to ban you from the school site.

Vexatious complaints are growing in schools and frequently expand from any issue in one area to lots of other issue.

Not unusual for parents to follow staff home and continue harassment that way.

TENSsion · 29/03/2025 13:27

Annony331 · 29/03/2025 13:23

If you use abusive or insulting language that endangers staff or students, the school has the authority to ban you from the school site.

Vexatious complaints are growing in schools and frequently expand from any issue in one area to lots of other issue.

Not unusual for parents to follow staff home and continue harassment that way.

What abuse and/ or insulting (not a crime BTW) language endangered anyone, specifically?

NewspaperTaxis · 29/03/2025 13:27

Police will be contacted in other such situations - families who complain about a parent's mistreatment in a care home, for instance. Or there's Graham and Anne Dixon, who complained to the NHS hospital about their child's death, and she got imprisoned and strip searched by Hertfordshire police. State organisations do stick together, in particular with local authorities - they're mates, essentially.

I had the police called out on me by Barchester's Reigate Beaumont - when I was visiting my mother on Christmas Day, no less! Oh, I wasn't arrested, I had a friendly chat with the officer and explained what the care home was like and why we'd fallen out. But I later discovrered via a Subject Access Request to the Council - who took nearly half a year to respond, not the 40-calender days - that Surrey's Adult Safeguarding teams aka social services - had tipped off the care home to do it, and it was after a) I'd reported a different care home, Firtree House Nursing Home, also in Reigate and Banstead, to the local press and b) I'd raised concerns about my mother's low fluid intake at the new care home, little suspecting she'd been placed on proactive end-of-life care, saying 'people are going to hear about this, y'know..' They thought I'd take it to the press.

Nothing came of the police chat, but we moved Mum out of the care home in the New Year - nonetheless it allows the authorities to misleading write on your parent's notes that they 'had to call the police out' which most will interpret meanly, given that they themselves have never had that happen to them. What's more, I suspect that if I sent a Subject Access Request to Surrey Police, their account of our meeting may be very different - and unfavourable - to how it actually went.

'Confiscating devices' I take to mean, 'we can shut down your basis of operations and also trawl them for evidence of something actually illegal we can hit you with - cocaine use, or such like.'

caringcarer · 29/03/2025 13:27

HollyBerryz · 29/03/2025 10:19

On what basis were they actually arrested? Because it's not illegal to whinge in a WhatsApp group.

The parents were released as police determined no crime had been committed. Some head teachers and deputy heads think they can say what they like to and about parents but if a parent dares to complain they shut them down. I was at a PEP meeting last week and the deputy headteacher said something I disagreed with so I said I don't agree with that, and before I could explain why I disagreed I was told "you can't disagree with me". I said as far as I'm aware we live in a free country where people are allowed to disagree and she said I'm not discussing the point we were in disagreement about any more and my view is final. I didn't whinge on a WhatsApp group but I reported to DC's social worker and my fostering agency is going to make a formal complaint about this deputy head teacher.

DonaldMacRonald · 29/03/2025 13:29

Daisymae23 · 29/03/2025 13:19

But the what’sapp weren’t to the staff - they were about the staff/school. That is a clear difference to me.

what confuses me is there was a thread on Mumsnet last week about a man who was denied entry into the US for saying bad things about Trump on a what’s app and everyone thought that was shocking and bad.

the pair sound incredibly annoying and there may be more to the story but does seem a bit excessive that 6 policemen turned up and then there was not enough evidence to prosecute.

But you can't threaten/slander another person or organisation via whatsapp and it's ok because it's not directly to them. And I'm talking about in general because I've not seen the exact whatsapps that this couple were engaging in.

The Trump thing - the man could cure cancer and people would bang on about him being the devil incarnate for taking away jobs ie medical professionals who work in oncology, scientists who work on cancer research etc. So I would take that thread with a pinch of salt.

User46576 · 29/03/2025 13:30

Rivertrudge · 29/03/2025 13:22

How do you know the parents hadn’t been abusive? And why do you think the parents had been banned from the premises?

Edited

We don’t know.

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