Courtney Wright was removed from the Culture Celebration Day at Bilton School in Rugby, Warwickshire “without saying a single word,” a move which has outraged dad Stuart Field
A furious dad has demanded “something must change” as his 12-year-old daughter was taken out of a diversity class after wearing a Union Flag dress.
Stuart Field, 47, believes “people have had enough about being told what they can and can’t do” after the school’s decision to put Courtney Wright into isolation upset the family and the wider community. Although Bilton School in Rugby, Warwickshire, has since apologised, a spokesperson for Keir Starmer has insisted “being British is something to be celebrated.”
Pupils with St George’s flags and Welsh flags were also turned away from the school gates, Mr Field added. In a new video, the dad said: “What happened on Friday should not happen to any child in the UK. It has caused a lot of upset in the UK, I think people have had enough about being told what they can and can’t do when they are being proud to celebrate their own culture and own history. I don’t think this is going to end anytime soon, unless something changes.”
Mr Field, who works in marine restoration, did not state what exactly he feels needs to change. However, he stressed he is confident the backlash the school has faced reflects fury across society at the issue.
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The school, rated as Good by Ofsted, had billed the day as a opportunity for pupils to wear attire reflecting their nationality or family heritage, rather than a school uniform. Not long after Courtney arrived in the Spice Girls-esque dress, the youngster was booted out classes “without saying a single word” and was not allowed to make her inclusive speech about the importance to her of being British, which referenced drinking tea, fish and chips and values of fairness and politeness.
“Courtney was so embarrassed and couldn’t understand what she’d done wrong. She should not be made to feel embarrassed about being British. She shouldn’t be punished for celebrating being British culture and history – nobody else I’ve spoken to can quite get their heads around it,” dad-of-five Stuart, from Coventry, West Midlands, said.
“Somebody at the school has politicised a Union Jack dress even though that was clearly not Courtney’s intent. Courtney didn’t do anything to be political. It’s about being British, the Spice Girls and even the freedom of being able to wear a dress. This was her interpretation of British culture and what it means to her.”
A statement issued on behalf of the school by the Stowe Valley Multi Academy Trust said: “On Friday 11th July, an incident occurred during our Culture Celebration Day that caused considerable upset to one of our pupils, her family, and members of the wider community.
“We deeply regret the distress this has caused and offer our sincere and unreserved apologies. We have since spoken directly with the pupil and her family to listen to their concerns and reflect on how this could have been handled better.
“We are committed to learning from this experience and ensuring that every student feels recognised and supported when expressing pride in their heritage.”
The statement, which said the school was proud of the diversity of its students and the rich heritage they bring to the community, added: “As a school, we are reviewing our policies and strengthening staff training to ensure our practices reflect our values of inclusion, respect, and understanding for all. We are committed to fostering an environment where every pupil feels respected, valued, and included.”