Bilton School in Rugby, who banned a student wearing a Union flag dress to inclusion day, says it will close early this summer after receiving “extremist abuse” online
Courtney Wright, 12(Image: Anita Maric / SWNS)
A school has been forced to close early for summer after reportedly receiving “extremist abuse” online.
The threats come after one student at the school was told their Spice Girls-esque Union flag dress for its ‘culture day’ was “unacceptable”, with the school’s comment since receiving significant backlash.
In a letter to parents, Bilton School in Rugby said it is now having to close the school early “in the interests of student and staff safety” following threats being made, the Mirror reports.
The letter, which was sent out on Thursday, told parents that school officials had decided to close the school earlier than usual this year after receiving “extremist abuse online and via our telephone systems”.
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The letter continued: “The nature and tone of this abuse has escalated in recent days, including personal threats to our staff.”
The decision comes after it was reported that a student at the school, Courtney Wright, 12, was told that the sequined Union Flag dress she was wearing was “unacceptable”. She was then told to sit alone in reception until her dad could get off work to pick her up.
Courtney Wright, 12, with her father Stuart Field(Image: Stuart Field/PA)
Speaking to the Express, she said: “It upset me because I came in really proud, I bought the dress, I chose it myself … and then I was told I am not allowed in lessons.”
The decision from the school has since sparked uproar in the UK, with Courtney also having received messages of support from further abroad including from Australia and Poland.
Explaining why pupils wouldn’t come in for a half-day on Friday as previously scheduled, the school said: “The nature and tone of [the] abuse has escalated in recent days, including personal threats to staff.
“Our primary responsibility remains the safety and wellbeing of every child and member of staff. This is not a decision we have taken lightly … the safety of our school community must come first.”
Following reports of outrage, the school issued an apology in which they said they would “reflect on how [it] could have been handled better.”
“We deeply regret the distress this has caused and offer our sincere and unreserved apologies,” the school said in a statement released shortly after the news broke.
“We are reviewing our policies and strengthening staff training to ensure our practices reflect our values of inclusion, respect and understanding for all.”
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