Boy excluded for insulting head teacher's hair on Facebook
Jordan Ford banned from Bristol academy for commenting on picture of head teacher's dyed hair after being told red mohican 'unacceptable for school'
Jordan Ford, left, was banned from his Bristol academy for commenting on picture of head teacher's dyed hair
By Agency
1:33PM GMT 26 Jan 2015
A teenager has been expelled from school after posting insults about his head teacher's hair on Facebook.
Jordan Ford, 14, took to the social media site after teachers told him his dyed red hair was not acceptable for school.
He copied a picture from head teacher Keziah Featherstone's profile in which she appears to have dyed hair.
Jordan posted it above the caption "This is not an example to set to other students".
The school claimed he posted a number of derogatory comments about her looks and weight, which prompted a further 50 comments - many of them insulting.
Jordan was then permanently excluded from the Bridge Learning Campus in Whitchurch, Bristol, for inciting abuse on Facebook and failing to apologise.
Mark Davies, chief executive at the academy school, said the post encouraged other students to cyber bully a member of staff.
He added that it had also been made the subject of a police investigation for "malicious communications".
Mr Davies said: "Jordan and his parents signed a home school agreement in terms of acceptable use of IT, which is very clear.
"Even if it was in his own time, it invaded a person's private space and he copied pictures from a staff member's personal Facebook profile.
"He refused to take part in any restorative justice which would have involved meetings between him and Ms Featherstone.
"It was a permanent exclusion because he broke the contract between the school and student. His actions were against the morals of the school."
The post was uploaded to Facebook just before Christmas after the youngster was told that his red mohican needed to be changed.
He then uploaded a picture of his head teacher from her personal Facebook with dyed purple hair with the comment.
Jordan, who lives in Hartcliffe, Bristol, was then permanently excluded from the secondary school.
His parents - Patricia Hedges, 43, and 46-year-old father John Ford - defended their son's actions and said it was clear they were "looking for an excuse to get rid of him".
Mr Ford, from Bristol, said: "My wife went up to the school to see if there was any chance of him going back, but because he is a bit of a clown they were looking for an excuse to get rid of him.
"We think it's unfair that he's been punished because he's the class clown. He dyed his hair red and the school made a really big thing of it, but there are teachers up there with coloured hair."
Jordan had posted the image of Ms Featherstone in fancy dress - with fake tattoos, bright hair and colourful clothing, including florescent pink Dr Martens and a yellow dress.
The image, posted on December 11, was taken before she started working at the school when she took part in a stunt for World Book Day.
Mrs Hedges, who also commented on the Facebook post, claimed the head teacher was being hypocritical.
The mother-of-four said: "If she doesn't want this, she should have private settings. You can't criticise a student when you look like that.
"The other children commenting said much worse stuff but Jordan is the only one punished. I think that Jordan can be unreasonable but this is OTT. He's no angel but I just want him back in education."
Year nine student Jordan was told he needed to alter his dyed red hair before returning back after the October half-term holidays.
However, after it remained auburn and he was suspended from class for three days, he took to Facebook to express his anger.
After teachers discovered the post he was temporarily excluded for five days on December 15 while a decision was made on his behaviour.
He was then fully excluded on January 5 and sent to nearby Landsdown School, but he is now completing his work from home.
