THE head-teacher of Skerne Park Academy in Darlington, who this week sparked a national furore by writing to parents asking them not to drop their children off wearing pyjamas, has revealed some of the abuse she has suffered during her time in the role.
One irate father angry over a new uniform policy took a swing at her and she had to duck, while other parents have called her an “overpaid prostitute” and a “failed fat supermodel”.
Speaking in a national newspaper, Kate Chisholm said she tries to laugh off the abuse, but admitted she has disabled her Facebook account as she doesn’t “want to see any of the negativity”.
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Media outlets from across the country descended on Darlington this week after Miss Chisholm’s letter to parents was made public.
In it she asked parents to “dress appropriately in day wear” and refrain from wearing pyjamas on the school run.
Many parents welcomed the letter, but others saw it as a personal attack and said they did not have time to get dressed on a morning.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Miss Chisholm said the majority of parents were supportive of various measures she has taken to improve standards at Skerne Park, but said a small number do not like her methods.
“I’ve had parents take a swing at me. It was because I wouldn’t back down over school uniform.
“A father just got so irate he took a swing at me. I had to duck. He was massive.
“I just thought: that’s new, I’ve never had that before. I asked him to leave the building.”
She added: “I’ve been called an overpaid prostitute and a failed fat supermodel. Both times this was parents saying this to me in front of their kids.
“If I want to have a word with the parent about a discipline issue, say, some parents have shouted at me, they’ve sworn at me, they’ve told me that I don’t know what I am talking about.”
She said she has a thick skin and is able to laugh it off - even when one parent said she hoped she was barren “because if you have children, they’ll be the spawn of the devil”.
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