PIC 1: Jason Appleyard and his daughter

PIC 2: St Thomas More School Catholic Primary School, Eltham

A dad who has been banned from attending his daughter’s sports day today, has accused the school concerned of being “bad sports” and waging a humiliating, abusive and sexist vendetta against him.

Dad, Jason Appleyard, 37, from Edgware, London, says he complained to St Thomas More Catholic Primary School in Appleton Road, Eltham, about anti-father discrimination after they failed to send him school reports and correspondence about his daughter, which he was entitled to under the Education Act 1996.

He is now taking legal action against the school for breaching his human rights to family life and anti-father discrimination with the backing of campaign group Fathers4Justice.

Mrs Anne Wood, Headteacher wrote to Mr Appleyard on 8th July, saying he was banned from the school sports day because of “on-going tensions between you and some other members of the community and the potential risk of unacceptable behaviour.”

They went on to say, “If you do not comply with this ban, you will be guilty of causing a nuisance or disturbance on educational premises. This is a criminal offence under section 547 of the Education Act 1996.”

Mr Appleyard says he has never had any problems with the school until he complained about discrimination. He said his behaviour is beyond reproach and that he had registered a further complaint with the school after being verbally abused by another parent.

Said Mr Appleyard, “All I want to do is see my daughter at her sports day. I’ve never missed a sports day, and I have always helped out as part of the parent teacher team and taken part in the dads race.”

“The school appear to have manufactured an excuse to ban me simply because of my existing complaint about their gender discrimination against dads.”

“I have done nothing to warrant this disproportionate and distressing ban, yet the school have told me to take a run and jump.”

“It’s not fair on me or my daughter and teaches children at the school that dads can be treated like second class citizens.”

Said campaign group Fathers4Justice, “This is yet another depressing example of institutional anti-father discrimination. We hope the school will lift this ban so legal action can be avoided.”