A father has been legally barred from a primary school in Strand after the Western Cape High Court found him guilty of intimidation and bullying towards staff, raising serious concerns for the safety and wellbeing of school staff.
The “overbearing” father of a five-year-old who attends Hendrik Louw Primary School in Strand has been interdicted from entering or coming closer than 100 metres of the school.
Due to alleged bullying and intimidation, the father - who cannot be named to protect the identity of his child, has also been court-ordered to refrain from threatening, harassing, or communicating in any manner, format, or platform with school staff.
The conduct allegedly began at the end of January, when the father, who described himself to the court as an “overbearing person”, embarked on a campaign of belittling and intimidating the school principal; threatening the principal with violence; threatening the principal with the closure of the school; and threatening and intimidating the school, the school governing body, and aftercare staff.
His son’s medical condition of type 1 diabetes, for which the boy requires constant care and oversight and, at times, remedial care from the school, was the genesis of the dispute between staff and the father.
