Dyslexic boy ‘banned from his school prom over a vendetta sparked by staff asking him to SHAVE’

The family of a dyslexic boy claim he was banned from his school prom over a vendetta sparked by staff making him shave and are calling for the headteacher to be sacked.

Kyle Gordon, 16, was told by St. Thomas More Catholic Primary School that he could not attend his prom on July 6 as he had not done enough extra curricular activities. 

In May last year, Kyle was forced to shave for the first time ever, cutting his face several times, after it was judge his facial hair, which his father described as ‘five strands of hair on his chin’, was inappropriate. 

A picture of Kyle which his family claim shows his facial hair shortly before he was forced to shave by St. Thomas More Catholic Primary School 

Kyle’s family claim the teenager was banned due to a vendetta against them waged by its principal. Pictured Callum with his mother Fatima and father Allan

Kyle Gordon, pictured, was told by St. Thomas More Catholic Primary School that he could not attend his prom on July 6 as he had not done enough extra curricular activities

Kyle Gordon, pictured, was told by St. Thomas More Catholic Primary School that he could not attend his prom on July 6 as he had not done enough extra curricular activities

The family of Kyle, who also has learning difficulties, claim that the teenager was given a two-hour detention after being forced to shave.

After the incident, which Kyle’s family claim caused his face to bleed considerably, his mother Fatima complained to the local authority.

After an investigation it judged that the school, which is in Eltham in south east London, had ‘behaved inappropriately’ and ’caused immense emotional distress to Kyle’.    

Kyle’s dad, Allan, is adamant Mr Ryan banned him from the school as revenge for Kyle's mother complaining to the school about him being forced to shave

Kyle’s dad, Allan, is adamant Mr Ryan banned him from the school as revenge for Kyle’s mother complaining to the school about him being forced to shave

Kyle’s dad, Allan Gordon, claims the school’s headteacher Markus Ryan banned him from the prom as revenge for Kyle’s mother complaining to the school about him being forced to shave and for making a complaint to the local authority. 

 Mr Gordon, said: ‘My family is absolutely devastated.

‘My son has done absolutely nothing. He is a very quiet sensitive lad. 

‘When you leave school you are meant to have happy memories. It has really taken its toll on him. It has been a complete nightmare.

‘My son has done lots of extra curricular things showing parents around at parents’ evening at the school and making up hampers in school for the elderly [in the area]. 

‘He has been so ill, he has probably lost a stone in weight. He hasn’t been sleeping properly. he is always waking up throughout the night like he is a baby.

‘What we would like to happen now is to have the headteacher dismissed.’

In a letter, which has been seen by Mail Online, Mr Ryan told Mr Gordon that he could not attend as he had not participated with extra-curricular activities or other activities.

The complaint against the school’s conduct against Kyle, who has an older brother called Callum, was upheld in July last year and the school was asked not to force pupils to shave in the future.

Director of Children’s Services for the Royal Borough of Greenwich, Florence Kroll told Mr Gordon in a letter about the decision: ‘The conclusion of the LADO investigation is that the allegation is substantiated. There is evidence to confirm that a professional has behaved in a way that was inappropriate , it caused immense emotional distress to your son and the child was significantly harmed as a result, albeit minor.’ 

The family claim Mrs Gordon was banned from entering St. Thomas More from mid-2017 and asked to leave a Sixth Form Evening at the school. 

The Greenwich Inclusion Project, which examines institutional cases of racism, is investigating the family’s complaints about the behavior of the principal, according to The Voice.

Mrs Gordon was banned from entering St. Thomas More from mid-2017 after she complained about her son being made to shave in school

Mrs Gordon was banned from entering St. Thomas More from mid-2017 after she complained about her son being made to shave in school

It has received eight complaints against St. Thomas More School during the last two and a half year, according to the website  

Speaking to The Voice, Giles Cabon, the Chief Executive Officer of the project, said: ‘The organisation I work for has received a significant number of complaints from parents at this school, on educational and exclusion issues.

‘If it is proved that Kyle has experienced victimisation under the Equality Act the headteacher and board of governors at St. Thomas More could be taken to court and the Gordon family may receive financial compensation.’ 

More than 1800 people signed a petition calling for the decision to ban Kyle from the prom to be reversed.

The day before the prom took place , the school wrote to parents saying that senior managers at the school would meet to discuss whether the prom would take place following adverse publicity.

Despite this the prom still went ahead.   

A spokesman for St. Thomas More, said: ‘The school is unable to comment on an individual student due to data protection and safeguarding reasons.

‘However, attendance to the Leavers’ Ball is by invitation and permission to attend based on a number of factors. Unfortunately, each year there may be a number of students who cannot attend the event. A rescinded invitation could be for a number of reasons.

‘Complaints should be directed to the school and will be investigated through its Complaints Procedure.

‘The Greenwich Inclusion Project has not been in contact with the school regarding a complaint it may have received. ‘



Read more at DailyMail.co.uk