No 10 has condemned a school after it sent home a pupil for wearing a Union Jack dress on diversity day, as the incident sparked national outrage over the treatment of British cultural expression.
‘Straight A’ student Courtney Wright, 12, wore the Spice Girls-esque dress and wrote a speech about British history and traditions as part of Culture Celebration Day at Bilton School in Rugby, Warwickshire, on Friday.
But the Year 7 pupil was told the dress was “unacceptable” before being hauled out of lessons and made to sit in reception in isolation until her father collected her at midday.
Government Response
Following outrage at Courtney’s exile from class, the government stated the child was right to celebrate being British.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “The PM has always been clear that being British is something to be celebrated.”
“You can see that from everything this government has done. We are a tolerant, diverse, open country, proud of being British.”
The condemnation from Downing Street adds significant weight to criticism of the school’s handling of the incident.
Disparate Treatment
Students wearing burkas, niqabs and traditional Nigerian clothing were reportedly allowed to attend lessons as normal, whilst children with St George’s and Welsh flags were turned away at the school gates.
Another pupil from a farming background was reportedly refused entry for wearing traditional attire of a flat cap and checked shirt.
“It just seemed anything that was remotely British wasn’t allowed,” said Courtney’s father Stuart Field, 47.
Father’s Outrage
Mr Field, who works in marine restoration, said he was “gobsmacked” to learn his daughter had been segregated from her peers.
“Courtney was so embarrassed and couldn’t understand what she’d done wrong,” he said.
“She should not be made to feel embarrassed about being British. And she shouldn’t be punished for celebrating British culture and history; nobody else I’ve spoken to can quite get their heads around it.”
The father revealed he couldn’t leave work until midday, meaning Courtney sat in isolation for approximately three hours.
School’s Contradictory Message
In a permission letter sent to parents before the event, the school said Culture Celebration Day was “designed to promote inclusion, understanding, and appreciation of different backgrounds, traditions and heritages.
The letter encouraged pupils to “consider wearing attire that reflects their nationality or family heritage.”
Mr Field said the school’s actions went against this message of inclusion.
“It’s ironic they were having a cultural diversity day but then decided to single out a group of people,” he said.
Courtney’s Preparation
The schoolgirl had put considerable effort into her participation, writing a speech that celebrated British culture including Shakespeare, fish and chips, tea, and the Royal Family.
“Courtney wanted to wear the dress to celebrate being British, the Spice Girls and the freedom of being able to wear a dress,” Mr Field explained.
“This was her interpretation of British culture and what it means to her.”
Her speech also promoted inclusivity, stating that culture “should be for everyone, not just for people from other countries or backgrounds.”
‘Not for Her’
According to Mr Field, staff told Courtney that cultural diversity day was “not for her as she gets to celebrate being British every day.
Somebody at the school has politicised a Union Jack dress even though that was clearly not Courtney’s intent,” he said.
“I wanted an answer as to why they thought this was acceptable – and nobody could give me a straight answer.”
Student’s Distress
Courtney said after the ordeal: “I felt really embarrassed. I was made to sit in reception all day. All my friends were getting angry at why the teachers were doing that because my dress was wonderful.”
The straight-A student, described as one of the brightest in her year who had never been in trouble before, was left deeply upset by the incident.
She couldn’t understand what was wrong with celebrating being British,” her father said.
Global Support
Mr Field posted about the incident on Facebook and received messages of support from around the world.
I’ve had messages of support from all over the world really, from Poland to Australia to America,” he said.
“Everybody is saying how ridiculous it is that any young person cannot celebrate where they are from.”
School’s Apology
Following widespread criticism, Bilton School contacted Mr Field over the weekend and issued an apology.
A spokesman for Stowe Valley Trust said: “At Bilton School, we are proud of the diversity of our students and the rich heritage they bring to our community.”
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.”
Policy Review
The school said it had spoken directly with Courtney 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 continued.
“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.”
Invitation Declined
The school has invited Courtney to return and read her speech, but she no longer feels comfortable doing so.
“She doesn’t feel comfortable about it or wearing the dress anymore,” Mr Field said.
“She feels like the school is parading her a bit now. It could have all been avoided if the school just followed their own policy of inclusivity and let everyone share a little about their culture.
The incident has reignited debate about how British cultural identity is treated in educational settings promoting diversity and inclusion.
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