FIVE pupils were suspended from Chester’s prestigious King’s School after ‘offensive’ comic strip-style jokes were posted on Facebook poking fun at senior management.
Among those suspended from the Wrexham Road school were two sons of governor Katrina Kerr who backs the punishment meted out by headmaster Chris Ramsey.
Some of the jokey cartoon-like postings were aimed at Mr Ramsey over the departure of popular teachers including ex-director of studies Bernie Routledge and former head of classics Paul Fentem who is claiming unfair dismissal at an employment tribunal.
Mr Fentem was sacked by governors for allegedly making a Facebook entry believed to be a jibe about Mr Ramsey.
The headmaster of the independent school decided he had to take action against the pupils’ most insulting entries.
In a briefing to staff last Friday, Mr Ramsey wrote: “Facebook – some of you may be aware that there is a Facebook ‘memes’ page with some King’s Chester cartoons; most of them are silly and ‘studenty’ but there are some which are offensive and we are taking those extremely seriously, particularly if they mention individuals.
“It will never be acceptable for an individual pupil or colleague to be harassed in this way. A number of students will be suspended until next Tuesday as a result.”
Governor Mrs Kerr told The Chronicle her two sons were suspended for ‘more than a day’ and had ‘apologised to all concerned’.
She said: “I am totally happy with the way the head and the deputy head have handled it. It was a stupid, childish and silly thing to get involved with.”
She said the affair was ‘embarrassing’ and her sons, who did not normally get into trouble, had learned a lesson.
She had asked the headmaster if her position was compromised but he had been supportive of her continuing in the role.
King’s School spokeswoman Vicky Titmuss said disciplinary action had been taken because some of the postings were ‘a little bit more than jokes’. She said it was ‘frustrating’ to see the issue highlighted because King’s was ‘a good school’.
