Schools treatment of disabled relative

[BlueBucket]

DH went to get the kids from school today with his godfather who's in a wheelchair and has a few other problems including speech. Younger kids were released to DH and left with GF in the playground while DH went round the school to get older DS.

All of them were absolutely fine, no reason for anybody to be concerned or get involved, both kids were sat on GF's lap chatting to him. A teacher (who doesn't teach any of my kids) came nearby and told them both to get off from there, GF put his arms round them to hold them up and tried to explain they were fine, he stuttered no and couldn't say this immediately but if she had waited and came closer he would have been able to. She stayed back and told the kids that they both needed to come with her now which they did as she's a teacher and they obviously didn't think she was trying to get them away from their GP but that they had to do or get something from the school. Kids had gone past and said bye to GF, teacher turned back around and said that she will take them to find their parents and that he could leave now. He knew what she had assumed, knew he wasn't strong enough to rush over or explain himself properly so went to wait outside of the gates knowing DH would be back in a minute.

Kids were asked lots of questions by the teacher that they didn't understand and she was asking staff where their dad had gone, to go and get him and to check the old man in the wheelchair had left on his own. Kids were both crying when DH came back thinking something bad had happened to GF, nobody got an apology when he explained and he then ran out with the kids to find DF so didnt finish the conversation

DF is devastated that she just assumed he was going to hurt his grandchildren and that he wasn't able to straight away speak up for them and save them from being upset, all the kids are still upset as they think something bad has happened that we aren't telling them.

AIBU to be really angry and upset over this?

I can't tell if she actually behaved as horribly as I'm thinking she did or if I'm just overreacting because everyone in the house is upset right now and that even though she got it very wrong she was only trying to protect my kids. What would you be saying to the school tomorrow?

I would raise it too. Safeguarding isn't about making assumptions and I also think it was a bit disablist. While the teacher was making assumptions she might have been missing a situation going on elsewhere.

All she needed to ask the kids was "who is this, kids, as I don't know him" and they could have said " this is x, our godfather". And if she had asked "is he here to collect you, are your parents here" they would have answered yes but dad is here too, he's gone to get our brother so we are waiting for him.

It's quite telling that the kids are so young but they do what a teacher says rather than a trusted adult.

Just another thought, you said teacher spoke to GF and he struggled to get his words out due to his speech impediment.
Is it possible she thought he was drunk?

But why would that be her first thought? Seeing a gentleman in a wheelchair who had difficulty speaking, wouldn't you think that perhaps he'd had a stroke, or had some other medical condition that affected his speech?

I would absolutely raise this. In fact, going against the grain, I'd make a formal complaint.
The teacher made huge assumptions based on prejudice.

She humiliated Godfather and distressed the children.

It would have been easy to check.

And the children were DH's responsibility once he had collected them.