Maxie Allen and Rosalind Levine arrested - The vindictiveness of the school and police overreach

[Everanewbie]

AIBU to worry that this type of incident seems to be happening more and more? To me, there are several concerning aspects to this story. Here is a link if you aren't yet aware.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/mar/29/parents-arrested-by-hertfordshire-police-for-complaining-about-daughters-school

Firstly, the apparent opaqueness of a public organisation and attempts to shut down private conversation and the vindictiveness the school has shown in attempting to silence this couple.

Secondly, the treatment of the pupil whereby she is being dropped off an escorted into school, and inability to discuss he disability and SEN with teachers, leading to multiple emails that were ultimately used against the couple.

And thirdly, WTF are the police doing? 6 Officers to arrest a meek professional couple, in front of their daughter. Holding them in a cell for 11 hours? Why are the police not dismissing this out of hand? I have always tried to be a supporter of the police, but how can reasonable people continue to accept this when they wont attend a burglary or detain shoplifters, but turn up in force for a middle class couple who called a governor a control freak in a private conversation?

Lol by the police, marking their own homework!

Ah so even more people arriving at the address to be dealt with by those two officers you wanted to send on their own then.

If you’re suspected of a crime, you can be arrested if necessary, even if you’re middle class parents and this is not unlawful. They were questioned and it was decided there was not enough evidence to charge, that’s the end of it. Still not unlawful, happens every day.

You claimed that the reason they sent SIX police officers to arrest a couple for having a discussion when they hadn’t determined that they had done anything illegal was because there were children in the house. As I explained that’s not true- they had to call an elderly woman to look after the children. You’re just spouting nonsense.

Six police officers for a middle aged couple, an 89 year old and a four year old child? When the only accusation was of hurry words? You’re off your rocker if you think that’s appropriate

QuirkInTheMatrix · Today 09:35

You may be of the opinion that they crossed the legal line, but it's an illogical conclusion. The Police didn't charge them, because they have committed no crime.

Ronsealit · Today 10:35

The couple complained to the police and their complaint was not upheld.

Well, I for one am absolutely amazed that the Police force which made the arrest has investigated itself and found itself not guilty. No conflict of interest there, eh?

The problem here also, is that the police may well have followed their guidelines to the letter. That doesn't mean that it is right and correct to the majority of fair minded people.

You’re absolutely right, middle aged people have never in the history of the world been known to be violent while being arrested and never react badly to it. Police officers make such a fuss about violence being meted out to them most days, officer safety shouldn’t even be a thing.

Having children at the property also wouldn’t complicate things if they were to become upset or need to be kept safe from intervening and potentially hurting someone or being hurt themselves.

They were psychic and knew that 80 year old Gran would be the person the couple asked to babysit before arriving so they didn’t need to plan for officers to look after the children in case a relative wasn’t available. There is no possibility that an elderly relative could be frail or ill or unable to look after the children for the length of time required when the circs were given. There is no way a 80 year old could get upset and have a medical episode herself and end up needing help. Maybe a different relative might have been asked who may not have been so frail and might have caused trouble.

There are no risks at all in this situation, there will have been no risk assessing or intelligence done beforehand and absolutely no unknowns to plan for in this situation, the police are just silly and I’m wrong. As per the outcome of the complaint. No, wait.

There are clearly 4 sides to this story and at the moment we only know one of them.

Lots of assumptions are being made and prejudices being displayed- when did we all become so shit at being fair and even-minded?

Not in the least surprised that a school was vindictive towards the parents of a disabled student. Happens all the time. No doubt they are delighted to have lost an expensive and ‘difficult’ child. Calling the police was vicious, but what makes this story particularly horrifying is the way the police were keen to act as a private militia, not just arresting this couple (who had committed no crime) in front of a terrified three year old, but threatening a local councillor and a MP (!) that if they tried to do the job they were democratically elected to do, they could also end up in a cell. Shocking overrreach. I hope the school staff who instigated this are experiencing the consequences of their behaviour, but more importantly the police need to be reined in.

Completely agree with you. I have seen this too with schools. I have seen the kind of harassment parents lead and then cry they didn't do it when collared. Parents do not get bans without it being necessary. The whatsapp groups of schools are vile. The parents are the ones bullying usually through the groups and then cry 'free speech' all the while falsely accusing, name calling, threatening and harassing staff. I have seen it all on those groups.

There is only ever 1 side the story - the truth.

Totally incorrect, and that’s why we’ve become so shit at being fair-minded.

Its not illegal to criticise a school or teachers. Much as some school staff would dearly like it to be.

That isn't incorrect. There are only facts - the event that happened. So there is only ever one side of the story - the truth. The rest are lies.

Its not illegal to criticise a school, but it is illegal to off roll children and to me it looks like that's what the school were up to.

SIX police officers turning up at the home of a couple who haven’t done anything violent?! Madness. What a complete waste of resources.

I mean I don’t know but I’d imagine the police aren’t too quiet and might have a few other jobs on the go plus they’re not exactly flush with staff so if six are sent, it’s because six might be needed. They weren’t, great news, everyone is safe. Which is the whole point and the reason that complaint would have gone straight in the bin. Not everyone can have knowledge of every subject but maybe we should try thinking a little bit deeper sometimes.

To get to the truth, you need the WHOLE truth, that is, ALL sides of the story.

I don’t think it is. However if it crosses the line into harassment and bullying then it should be illegal and I believe is.

Can you think of a reason why six officers would be needed to arrest two people who are not known to have been armed or violent then? Why not two officers?

They should never have sent 6 officers. They should have sent zero. The officers should have been assigned to dealing with murders, rapes, burglaries, shoplifters and drug dealers. They really should have dismissed this straight away, but if they were so determined this could have been handled with a single officer and a voluntary conversation to provide their side of the story.

Woman who reported predatory officer blamed by Met

There does increasingly seem to be a pattern of blaming people who dare complain.

The more I read more I think parents were badly treated, though not sure they were completely blamless, but the child had already left the school a week before the police came round.

So yes they are MC and media savy - and god know there are many diffcult parents out there - and with a child with serious medcial condition can well believe they were on anxious side - but I don't think this situation was handled at all well.

See my above post for some ideas of things to be considered. I’m obviously not party to any intel or history re the couple or the address as the police would have been so can only make suggestions but even if nothing is known about them at all then unknown risks would still need addressing. Sometimes those situations can be even more unpredictable. The alternative would be two officers turning up, something going wrong and someone getting hurt in which case a complaint would be justified.

The police didn’t seem to be aware that the four year old was at the property as there was a significant delay so that the 80 year old grandma could come and babysit while they took the parents to the police station because they’d had a discussion in private about misconduct at a school. The idea that six police officers are needed because of a four year old child they claimed not to know was there and an 80 year old who wasn’t there is total nonsense!

There was no reason to arrest them, never mind send six police officers. It was a non violent allegation which if the police had looked into before they acted, they would never have taken any further. The police usually don’t bother to turn up at all to investigate burglaries or robberies.

No idea why you keep on with this rubbish. I don’t think anyone really believes you need six police officers in case a four year old kicks off!

That’s not what actually happened though. It’s just what you both decided happened based on your prejudices/ previous experiences.