| SPOTLIGHT |
Birmingham City Council has secured an interim injunction to protect an area around the primary school that has been subject to protests in recent weeks over its teaching of equalities.
The local authority said it had decided to make an urgent application “only after careful consideration and in the light of increasing fears for the safety and wellbeing of the staff, children and parents” of Anderton Park Primary School when they come back from their half-term break.
“This is particularly so after the serious escalation of the protests in the week before half-term - including the attendance of very large numbers of people who have no children at the school, many of whom are not from the city,” it added.
“This, together with the increasingly unacceptable behaviour of protesters who have disrupted and disturbed the running of the school and the children’s education, has led the council to conclude that the risk of harm to staff, parents and children has become too serious to tolerate.”
The case will be back in court on 10 June 2019 when the protesters will have the chance to put their case to a judge. Until then, however, the order has effect in relation to all persons, the council said.
A copy of the interim injunction can be found here. It says that all persons except for three named individuals shall not organise or engage or encourage any other person to engage in any protest against the teaching of equalities at the school within an area on a map attached to the order.
This includes a ban on: printing or distributing leaflets for themselves or others to hand out; inviting, encouraging or arranging another person to come to attend such a protest; encouraging or arranging for another person to congregate at any entrance to the school for the purpose of any such protest.
The interim injunction also bars the use of any social media account to make offensive or abusive comments about any member or members of staff at the school in relation to the teaching of equalities at the school or in relation to their evidence in the legal proceedings.
Cllr Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said: "I'm pleased that common sense has prevailed because children right across Birmingham should be free to attend school safely and without disruption. All our schools must be safe spaces and we will not tolerate the ongoing intimidation of parents, hard-working school staff and local residents.
"This interim injunction has been secured in time for the return to school on Monday (3 June) and now hopefully the pupils will be able to continue their education in peace for the remainder of the summer term.”
Cllr Ward added: "We'll continue to support the school and its staff and I would urge parents to take this opportunity to engage in constructive dialogue with the school about any concerns they may have."
