by Lesley Wilkinson
AN HISTORIC village church has suffered a spate of vandalism from local schoolchildren it has been claimed.
Youngsters in school uniform are "hanging around" St Thomas' Church, Stockton Heath, according to local resident Patrick Mullee. Vandalism has occurred in the grounds and at the adjacent church hall.
He told Stockton Heath Parish Council that schoolchildren were writing offensive graffiti on church property and damaging an old sandstone wall.
Police Community Support Officer Ben Blandford said he was aware of youngsters hanging around outside the church and moved them on when he was on duty.
Mr Mullee said the school should take responsibility for the youngsters' behaviour when they were in uniform outside school.
Cllr Celia Jordan said the head teacher constantly reinforced the message of maintaining good behaviour outside school.
Mr Mullee responded: "The message is not working then."
He was supported by Cllr Wendy Emsley who added: "They should be aware that when they are outside in uniform they are advertising the school."
Youngsters in school uniform are "hanging around" St Thomas' Church, Stockton Heath, according to local resident Patrick Mullee. Vandalism has occurred in the grounds and at the adjacent church hall.
He told Stockton Heath Parish Council that schoolchildren were writing offensive graffiti on church property and damaging an old sandstone wall.
Police Community Support Officer Ben Blandford said he was aware of youngsters hanging around outside the church and moved them on when he was on duty.
Mr Mullee said the school should take responsibility for the youngsters' behaviour when they were in uniform outside school.
Cllr Celia Jordan said the head teacher constantly reinforced the message of maintaining good behaviour outside school.
Mr Mullee responded: "The message is not working then."
He was supported by Cllr Wendy Emsley who added: "They should be aware that when they are outside in uniform they are advertising the school."
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3 Responses to "Church attacked by vandals" 
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said this on 18 Oct 2011 8:39:53 AM BST
It's all very well blaming the school but they have no jurisdiction over the pupils outside school. Rather than moving these children on, the police should be taking them home and requiring the parents to take responsibility for their children's actions or face the courts.
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said this on 18 Oct 2011 10:00:59 AM BST
Agree, it is not the school's problem but the parents and the PCSO sounds as much use as a chocolate fireguard.
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said this on 18 Oct 2011 10:59:45 AM BST
Ideally the school should be able to do something because their pupil's are, by their behaviour, disgracing the school. However other than help in identifying them and informing the offender's parents I doubt that there is little that they could legally do. At the end of the day it is the parents who are responsible for their children's behaviour whether inside or out of school. Teachers are paid to teach academic subjects they are not paid to take on the basic parental responsibilities such as training in good manners - which children should learn before they even start attending school. The PCSO on the other hand IS paid to deal with issues such as these and should have acted, as Silverlady stated by taking them home to their parents and/or with legal action.
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