A GIRL recovering from a spine operation has been barred from a school trip - because she hasn't been well enough to go to lessons.
Molly Wroe, 12, suffers from a condition called scoliosis, or curvature of the spine. She has had metal rods inserted into her back, which are lengthened every six months through surgery.
Molly has been off school a month because of complications after the latest op. She still wanted to go on a three-day trip to Scarborough, which started on Monday, with 80 schoolmates from Altrincham College of Art.
Headteacher Peter Brooks said the visit would involve 'strenuous activity' and if Molly wasn't well enough for 'a normal school day' then she wasn't fit for the trip.
But Molly said: "It's not fair. I've been looking forward to the trip for a year and it has helped me get better.
"Now I've been told I can't go because of my back. I'm upset because I'll miss all the fun."
Mr Brooks said he had to take the difficult decision because Molly had not been in school for a month.
Devastated
He said: "We were hoping Molly would return to school this week but she is still not well enough. The visit involves strenuous activity over three days.
"As headteacher I, sadly, have had to make the judgement that Molly is not well enough to attend the trip based of the fact she has still not recovered sufficiently to manage a normal school day.
"We offer our students many residential opportunities and I am sure Molly will be able to participate in lots of these in the future.
"We wish her a speedy recovery."
Molly's mum Beverley, from Baguley, said her daughter was `devastated' to be missing out.
"We told the surgeon and he picked up the phone and called the school himself. He believes it would be beneficial, like physio, but the school wouldn't budge.
"Her twin brother Jack is going and he feels really guilty about it. They both feel she's being penalised because of her condition.
"She hasn't been in school since the operation because she had an infection and had to go back into hospital.
"But she's recovered now and is capable."
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i think the headmaster has got it spot on here, supposing she went on the trip and did damage to her spine?, the parents would hold the school responsible.
a brave decision by the head to err on the side of caution.
Firstly. Why is this newsworthy ?
Second. I think the school is right to refuse this girl the trip. If something did happen and she hurt her back, you can be sure there would be a claim going in because the school didn't protect her enough.
I've got to agree with the head.
If she went, and things went wrong for her - then the family would be up in arms about how that would've been the school's fault for allowing her to go.
Best to err on the side of caution if she's not well enough to go to school anyway.
Jo14, Somewhere on planet Earth...spot on.
I can't help feeling that the headmasters decision was partially, but not entirely down to us having such a litigious society.
“Molly's mum Beverley, from Baguley, said her daughter was `devastated' to be missing out”
My god how dramatic “she was devastated”, no you get devastated when your granny or granddad dies not because you can’t go on a trip.
I think the school was correct not only because of her condition but also because she has not been in school for a month, if she is well enough to go then she should be catching up on her school work.
Call me cynical but she’s suddenly better just as the trip is to happen
I've got to agree with everyone else but not on the basis of any claims, but it seems obvious, just as the Head says if she's not well enough to manage a normal school day she's not well enough for a school trip - strenuous or not. Have her parents ever been to Scarborough, it's cliffs that drop down to the sea, you can't go anywhere without a steep walk.
It reads to me like if she's have been in school this week the Head would have said OK, but she isn't!
Ten out of ten to Peter Brooks for making a decision and standing behind it. As previous posters have said, if Molly went and damaged her back during the strenous activity involved in this excursion, what would her mother have to say then? Surely it would be far better to make sure that she can cope with a normal school day before sending her off for 3 days. Hopefully as Mr Brooks has said, she will be 100% fit and well for other excursions that she will enjoy in the future. Oh, and as Tezza so rightly says, if Molly is 'devastated' because she's missed out on this trip, let's hope she doesn't have any serious emotional trauma in her life eh.
Absolutely right! If she can't manage school then she can't manage a school trip - without even considering the additional support she might need from staff.
Its no-ones fault its just life.
I agree with Mr Brooks completely.
If Molly had been allowed to go along on the trip how would that decision have looked to any pupil who had been told they couldn't go as a punishment or because they did not have enough attendance....? I also think that the adults on the trip would be so much more aware of Molly and her condition that their focus would be taken off the other pupils - I dread to think what could happen then...?
Mr Brooks has a DUTY OF CARE and is 100% correct in not letting this girl go, well done somebody with common sense and the courage to stand by the decision he made.
What have things come to nowadays? Someone has gone and made a good decision based on the circumstances at the time, but that decision has upset someone else, so what do they do.. moan and go to the press!
Grow up. Thats life, things happen that not everyone likes. Don't take things personally. "Stuff happens" as they say.
The MEN is daft enough to print this stuff, so it all does is encourage others to turn to the press with their meaningless moans.
Well said Mr Brooks, if Molly isn't able to attend a normal day at school, then the trip to Scarborough is surely out of the question. Maybe when Molly is back at school full time another residential trip could be considered. Keep up the good work Mr Brooks.
As a teacher who has organised and accompanied many school trips both in the UK and abroad I would not be prepared to take Molly. I would not want the responsibility if something happened to her, God forbid if something did would the mum shrug it off, or would she point the finger and seek compensation!? And as others have said if she isn't well enough to attend school...
As a mother of someone who has a operation for scoliosis I agree with the headmaster. My child was told not to do PE, games "or anything like that". Even without the infection that means she has not been well enough to attend school she needs to be careful not to cause damage to her back.