Maxie Allen and Rosalind Levine, parents of a nine-year-old girl, have expressed their dissatisfaction with police conduct following their arrest while alleging concerns regarding their daughter’s primary school. The couple was taken into custody by six officers from Hertfordshire Police on 29 January on suspicion of harassment, malicious communications, and causing a nuisance on school property. They were detained for approximately eight hours and underwent fingerprinting and searches, but following a five-week investigation, no further action was taken against them.
The incident stemmed from their interactions with Cowley Hill Primary School, located in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire. The couple reported that they were barred from entering the school premises previously due to raising issues with the appointment process of a new head teacher and subsequently expressing their concerns in a parents' WhatsApp group. This ban also had the unintended consequence of preventing them from participating in significant events concerning their daughter Sascha, who is disabled and has epilepsy.
Speaking to The Times, Allen, who is also a producer at Times Radio, condemned the police's actions as a "massive overreach" and accused the school of attempting to "silence awkward parents." He stated, “It was absolutely nightmarish. I couldn’t believe this was happening, that a public authority could use the police to close down a legitimate inquiry.” Allen highlighted that they had never used abusive or threatening language in their communications and were bewildered by the nature of the allegations against them.
Their parent-teacher relationship became fraught after Allen’s inquiries to the school's governors in May 2024 regarding the recruitment of a new head teacher, subsequent to the retirement announcement of the previous office-holder. This inquiry seemingly led to warnings from the chair of governors regarding "inflammatory and defamatory" comments made on social media, which intensified the couple’s frustration. After being warned that they could face action against further comments, they were subsequently limited to email correspondence with the school. This led to heightened tensions, culminating in a police advisory that suggested they withdraw their daughter from Cowley Hill, a recommendation they followed just a week prior to their arrest.
A spokesperson for Cowley Hill Primary School stated that they sought advice from police after experiencing an overwhelming amount of direct correspondence and troubling social media posts from the parents, which they believed were causing distress among staff and governing bodies. The school asserted that they are open to parents raising concerns but expect this to be done in an appropriate manner as outlined in their official complaints procedure.
Hertfordshire Constabulary remarked on the necessity of the arrests, stating they were a routine part of investigating the allegations of harassment and malicious communications. Following their investigation, officers concluded there was insufficient evidence for further action. In response to an earlier police visit reported on 20 December, a complaint was made and subsequently reviewed by the Professional Standards Department, which found that the officers provided appropriate service in this case.
This situation continues to unfold as the parents reflect on the implications of their treatment by the school and the authorities, underscoring ongoing tensions in parent-school relationships, particularly when issues of governance and transparency are at stake.
Source: Noah Wire Services