I think, therefore IB

As a teacher, I’ve seen my share of tense parent-school exchanges. But the recent case in Hertfordshire, England, where two parents were arrested after expressing concerns about their daughter’s school in a private WhatsApp group, is beyond belief.

Let’s pause for a moment: this didn’t happen in Myanmar or Russia. This happened in 2025 Britain. Six police officers arrived at the home of Maxie Allen and Rosalind Levine. The couple were detained for 11 hours on suspicion of harassment and malicious communications—all because they criticised their daughter’s school leadership and shared their disbelief about being banned from the premises.

Were they issuing threats? No. Inciting violence? Not even close. They were frustrated parents asking questions and sharing opinions in a private forum.

We are educators, not enforcers. Of course schools deserve respect—but so do parents. Especially when they are advocating for their disabled child. When routine communication is criminalised, and “disharmony” becomes a police matter, we must ask: what are we becoming?

This is not how trust is built. If schools want engaged, supportive communities, we need to stop treating dissent like a crime.

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