Teacher Orders 10-Year-Old Boy to Remove ‘Help for Heroes’ Wristband as It ‘Might Cause Offence’

Nick Hallett

3/12/2014

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A 10-year-old boy has allegedly been ordered to remove a ‘Help for Heroes’ wristband by his teacher because it could cause offence.

Charlie Tew was put on report at Maldon Primary School in Essex after he refused to take off the charity band which honours injured soldiers. He wears it in memory of Lee Rigby and service personnel in his own family, including his uncle and great-grandfather.

The Daily Mail quotes Charlie’s mother Tracy as saying, “We are really proud of Charlie for sticking to his guns. He wanted to keep it on and he didn’t agree with the reasons why he shouldn’t.

“When the teacher said she was worried it was going to offend people, I thought it was disgusting. Our family are up in arms because we are all military minded.”

Drummer Lee Rigby was murdered last year on the streets of Woolwich by two Islamist extremists. Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale were jailed last month.

Tracy Thornton, headmistress at Charlie’s school, insisted: “They are not allowed to wear jewellery, and that includes wristbands, for health and safety reasons because they could get caught.

“I can’t comment on what one particular teacher said, but for the general perspective of the school, the children are not allowed to wear jewellery except small silver studs and watches, which have to be taken off for PE.”

Help for Heroes’ Chief Executive Bryn Parry told the MailOnline site: “We have not heard of a single health and safety incident connected to [the wristbands], nor have we ever had a complaint that they are offensive.”

Terry Sutton, local president of the Royal British Legion, a charity separate to Help for Heroes, added: “It’s hard to see how the band would cause offence, except, I suppose, to the radical Muslim community. I don’t think that will be a problem in Colchester and in its surrounding area.”