Mother's fury after daughter 'threatened with detention for wearing poppy to school'
14 November 2024, 09:43
A schoolgirl was threatened with detention for wearing a poppy, prompting an angry response from her mother.
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She was shocked to hear from her daughter that she was threatened with punishment for wearing the poppy - a traditional symbol of respect for people who died in Britain's wars, worn on the period around Remembrance Sunday.
The Farnham-based woman said that the unnamed school was concerned that the pins could be used to stab people.
Speaking in a video posted to TikTok, the woman said: "It was the 11th of the 11th yesterday, so Remembrance Day. I got a message from my daughter, "just got a detention for wearing the pin".
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"The pin in question is a poppy pin, it's not just any poppy pin, it's the actual British Legion poppies that are being sold everywhere.
"The school have given her a detention for wearing a poppy pin, think about that for a minute."
She said she had spoken to the school and wanted a meeting with the headteacher.
The woman added: "If not, I've already spoken to people in the British Legion, they are ready to make a stand, ex-armed forces are ready to make a stand."
The mother later gave an update, saying she had been called by the assistant headteacher and no detention had been set.
"I said 'well there was, her name was on board, she had to stay after lessons, she therefore would had a detention'.
"Whether someone has overrided that and tried to shove it under the carpet I don't know.
"The fact of the matter is, it was still said. She was not allowed to wear that pin. That angers me in itself. It is a poppy pin, it's there for Remembrance.
"The assistant head then tried to spin around what poppy was she wearing, was it a big flamboyant one, was it a different colour?
"She's remembering those people who fought for our country and shouldn't be punished."
