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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Head teacher abused in Croydon school gates smoking row | Head teacher abused in Croydon school gates smoking row |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A head teacher who asked parents to stop smoking outside the school gates has been targeted for abuse. | A head teacher who asked parents to stop smoking outside the school gates has been targeted for abuse. |
| Susan Papas, 53, who was brought in to turn around Selsdon Primary in Croydon in south London, accused some parents of "negativity and bad manners". | Susan Papas, 53, who was brought in to turn around Selsdon Primary in Croydon in south London, accused some parents of "negativity and bad manners". |
| It follows a petition set up calling for her removal from the job and comments posted on the school's blog. | It follows a petition set up calling for her removal from the job and comments posted on the school's blog. |
| Mrs Papas said the abuse "has to stop" and added that she was seeking legal advice and had contacted the police. | Mrs Papas said the abuse "has to stop" and added that she was seeking legal advice and had contacted the police. |
| 'Smoking picket' | 'Smoking picket' |
| The problems started after Mrs Papas wrote on the school's blog: "Whilst I don't have any jurisdiction over the behaviour of parents on the street, I do have responsibility for the pupils' behaviour on their way to and from school. | The problems started after Mrs Papas wrote on the school's blog: "Whilst I don't have any jurisdiction over the behaviour of parents on the street, I do have responsibility for the pupils' behaviour on their way to and from school. |
| "In the spirit of this I would respectfully ask that adults refrain from smoking immediately outside the school as some may see this as setting a bad example." | "In the spirit of this I would respectfully ask that adults refrain from smoking immediately outside the school as some may see this as setting a bad example." |
| Mrs Papas, who splits her time between Selsdon and Heavers Farm primary schools, said some parents replied to her post with abusive messages and hatched plans to hold a "smoking picket" to block the pavement. | Mrs Papas, who splits her time between Selsdon and Heavers Farm primary schools, said some parents replied to her post with abusive messages and hatched plans to hold a "smoking picket" to block the pavement. |
| She said: "I did put a very positive and gently polite message on the blog but it didn't go down very well with some parents." | She said: "I did put a very positive and gently polite message on the blog but it didn't go down very well with some parents." |
| 'Rude and offensive' | 'Rude and offensive' |
| In a subsequent post, entitled Standing up to the Bullies, Mrs Papas said: "I have been using social media for some years in my capacity as a head teacher and have never experienced the level of negativity and bad manners displayed by a handful of parents on here. | In a subsequent post, entitled Standing up to the Bullies, Mrs Papas said: "I have been using social media for some years in my capacity as a head teacher and have never experienced the level of negativity and bad manners displayed by a handful of parents on here. |
| "I have also been told about the rude and offensive comments being levelled against me, and other staff, on social media. This has to stop." | "I have also been told about the rude and offensive comments being levelled against me, and other staff, on social media. This has to stop." |
| Deborah Arnott, chief executive of health charity Ash, said Mrs Papas should "not give in to the minority of parents" opposing the policy. | |
| She said: "The less children are exposed to adult smoking the less likely they are to take up the habit themselves. | |
| "Requesting parents not to smoke in the area immediately outside the school grounds is therefore reasonable and good practice." | |
| Angela Harbutt, from the smokers' rights group Forest, said she had sympathy for the head teacher and that the abuse could not be condoned. | |
| But she added: "I think she probably should have left it to the parents; they are adults and they should be able to sort it out between them. | But she added: "I think she probably should have left it to the parents; they are adults and they should be able to sort it out between them. |
| "I think she has stepped into the middle. I think it has gone too far, this persecution of smokers." | |