School that banned pupils from talking threatens to SUE mum for slamming ‘power hungry’ teachers on Facebook
Susan Hunter, 44, has been threatened with legal action by lawyers hired by Ninestiles Academy after she criticised the school for banning students from talking in corridors and between lessons
A SCHOOL blasted for banning pupils from talking has now hired lawyers to threaten legal action against a mum for criticising the policy on Facebook.
Susan Hunter, 44, has received a lawyers' letter demanding she remove Facebook posts about the school and write an apology to all her followers.
The bizarre letter claims Ms Hunter has defamed the Ninestiles Academy school's trust and its boss Catherine Anwar.
The letter from law firm Irwin Mitchell highlights comments in which Ms Hunter asks whether the children are being bullied at the school because of the silent corridor policy.
They also claim Ms Hunter is behind a Mumsnet post and email which contains defamatory statements about the school and Ms Anwar.
Ms Hunter, a weight-loss consultant whose 15-year-old son Cameron attends the school, said: "It's totally bizarre.
"It's a private account so I don't know how they've found the Facebook posts. They are trying to silence me because I care and speak to other parents.
"Why are they going after parents who just want the best for their kids when the school has plenty of its own problems?"
In the letter to Ms Hunter lawyers for the academy trust note her criticism of the silent corridors policy and list the alleged defamatory statements posted by the mum.
The statements include a post in which she said she felt threatened by Ms Anwar.
Lawyers also highlight one comment on Facebook in which they appear to misinterpret the weight consultant, who wrote: "I volunteered at childline for a year, I heard some horrendous things from kids.
"This can of worms that's been opened re Ninestiles is getting worse and worse.
"Aren't schools supposed to be safe environments for our kids?!?!"
The lawyers had missed off the question mark, two-thirds of the original post and incorrectly claimed Ms Hunter was referring to "kids" from Ninestiles having called Childline.
In another post listed in the letter as defamatory, Ms Hunter - after receiving a letter from Ms Anwar demanding she "cease and desist" from making comments - wrote: "If you feel you are being threatened by an academy CEO, can we get legal advise (sic)?"
They also refer to statements sent in an email by Ms Hunter in which she again claims to have been threatened by Ms Anwar and that the trust boss has bullied pupils at the school with her policies.
The letter threatening legal proceedings also claims to have linked a Mumsnet article to Ms Hunter due to the account name "Sus28" and statements being similar to others made by the mum-of-three.
They included claims she had been threatened by Ms Anwar, the school was preventing staff speaking out about problems and allegations against unnamed members of staff.
Lawyers claimed Ms Hunter had defamed the school and also Ms Anwar with her statements.
They highlighted the number of people she had sent her email to and that she had ";over 100 Facebook followers".
Irwin Mitchell, on behalf of the school, called for the Facebook posts to be removed and Ms Hunter to apologise to all email recipients, on Mumsnet and on social media with a statement agreed by the academy.
Ms Hunter, of Selly Park, Birmingham, added: "This all started with the silence rule and I got in touch with some of the mums and other parents and other issues started coming to light.
"I've already had one child go through the school and they've gone on to do really well. I've always been impressed with the teaching.
"But the CEO changed 18 months ago and since then two headteachers have gone, one had been there for 18 years and just didn't come back after the summer holidays.
"I had a meeting then after I came home to this letter in the mail, just before Christmas - so I wasn't very impressed.
"I don't think there's any need for it. A school threatening a parent with legal action is beyond comprehension.
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"My Facebook is shut down and is private. And the Anti-Academies Alliance group on Facebook is a closed group so they must have searched for the comment.
"They're worried about the reputation of the school but it's not just me. Where did all the good teachers go, where's the leadership gone?"
A spokesman for Ninestiles School, An Academy, said: “We have met with this parent on two occasions as well as speaking to her by phone and exchanging emails.
“Despite our willingness to engage with her, she continues to express views publicly that are both untrue and damaging.
“The letter was sent by our lawyers after a good deal of consideration but we cannot allow damaging claims to jeopardise the reputation of the school and our professional staff.
“The majority of parents are extremely supportive and would prefer us to be spending our time on our core purpose of the education and welfare of our young people.”
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