ANGRY parents have slammed a secondary school’s handling of a student protest, which took place amid accusations of heavy-handed enforcement of uniform regulations.

Pupils of Lytchett Minster School said they were threatened with police action unless they returned to lessons during the peaceful lunchtime protest on the school field on Friday, June 24.

Following the incident, parents were then sent a letter home which stated: “Students are expected to air their views in a responsible and mature way that would not interfere with their teaching and learning.”

Parent Marilyn Butterworth, whose 13-year-old daughter, Lauren, attends Lytchett Minster, said: “During the protest, children were threatened with the police being called and there were teachers blowing whistles in an attempt to break up the protest, which involved children sitting on a field.

“The children’s protest caused far less disruption and interference to their education than the teachers’ strike, but the irony of this appears to be lost on the school.”

Student Beth Stroud, aged 14, told the Daily Echo: “It was a silent protest and no harm was done – no violence, no foul mouths and there was no vandalism.

“People are scared now to stand up for their opinion as the school seems to teach, do as I say, not as I do.”

The student protest came after parents received a letter from the school with regard to inappropriate trousers and shoes being worn by some of the girls.

This letter stated: “If students do not comply with our expectations, this obviously becomes a discipline issue.

“Students who are not dressed in a manner that the school considers appropriate, may be withdrawn from lessons and placed in isolation until all uniform requirements are met.

“In extreme case this may mean that a student is excluded from school for a fixed period of time.”

No-one at the school responded to the Daily Echo’s requests for comments.

• On Thursday, June 30, the school closed as 37 teachers took national strike action in response to the government’s position on public sector pensions.

This move, backed by the National Union of Teachers and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, forced many parents to take time off from work.