A school has apologised after putting a 12-year-old girl in isolation for wearing a Union Jack dress to its culture day celebration. Courtney Wright, a top student at Bilton School in Rugby, wore the Spice Girls-esque outfit in a nod to British culture and also prepared a speech about the country’s rich history and traditions. Her father Stuart Field, 47, accused teachers of turning a cultural celebration into a political spat, however, after his daughter was told her dress was “unacceptable” and sent out of class to wait in reception for him to pick her up.
“Courtney was so embarrassed and couldn’t understand what she’d done wrong,” he said. “She should not be made to feel ashamed about being British — and she certainly shouldn’t be punished for it.” A spokesperson for the school offered their “unreserved apologies” and pledged a commitment to “fostering an environment where every pupil feels respected, valued and included”.
“At Bilton School, we are proud of the diversity of our students and the rich heritage they bring to our community,” they added.
“On Friday, July 11, 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.”
The school said they would learn from the experience and factor it into a future policy of “ensuring that every student feels recognised and supported when expressing pride in their heritage”.
“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,” they said.
Mr Field said his daughter wasn’t alone in being sent out of class to wait in reception to be picked up after her outfit was deemed inappropriate by teachers.
“One child dressed in traditional farming clothes — flat cap and checked shirt — wasn’t allowed in,” he said. “Another with a St George’s flag. One had a Welsh flag. All turned away.
“They didn’t even listen to Courtney’s speech, which was actually about inclusivity and celebrating all cultures. It just felt like being British wasn’t something that could be celebrated.”