Threat to sue Dartford Science and Technology College over snow
Schools across Kent were
closed because of the snow
by Alan Watkins
A head teacher has revealed a parent threatened to sue
the school if their child was hurt in snowy conditions.
Scores of schools across Kent were forced to
defend decisions to shut their doors as severe weather struck
earlier this week.
One that opened was Dartford Science and Technology College
- where head Seamus Murphy said each day of education lost
could not be regained.
But one parent emailed the school threatening to sue if anything
happened to the pupil.
The message read: "Considering all other schools in the Dartford
area are closed due to the snow I find it irresponsible of your
school to be open as it is forcing people to put themselves and
their children in danger in order to attend school.
"My daughter will be there but if she is injured in anyway I
will be making a compensation claim to the school for damages."
Mr Murphy said: "Our prime concern is health and safety – can
the pupils,
staff and
parents get into the school and out again.
"We had a significant number of pupils absent on Monday, but all
the staff were in, including one who brought his daughter in on a
sledge."
Nearly 200 primary and secondary schools closed across the
county on Monday.
Kent’s education chief Cllr Mike Whiting (Con) said: "There are
some schools that against all the odds seemed to stay open and
others who found it impossible.
"It is a very tough call and I would not want to criticise
schools. They know how it will affect them.
"I would like all schools to be open all the time but head
teachers have difficult decisions."
23/01/13