A PARENT banned from school for verbally abusing staff and cautioned by local police for threatening the headteacher with violence is standing for election as a parent governor. The whole governance of the school is being threatened because staff and board members are threatening to walk out if he succeeds. What can you do?

Technically, not much, if the parent has not been convicted of any crime. Which is why governors in Wales who were faced with this scenario are campaigning for a change in the regulations.

Currently, people who have been convicted of crimes punishable by prison sentences, or fined for causing a nuisance on school premises, are barred from becoming governors. Also excluded are those on the Government’s List 99 of individuals prohibited from working with children, and bankrupts.

But cautions - or bans from school premises - do not count.

“I would like this loophole plugged,” said one of the school’s governors. “Our preferred wording would disqualify from membership any person whose conduct had resulted in a formal police caution as a consequence of actions or threatened actions contrary to the welfare of children or staff.”

He added: “I could have coped with it if he came onto the governing body because we would find ways of minimising his influence. But the staff would have refused to work with him, and probably most of the governors. They would probably resign, which shows how strongly they support the staff, as might the head.”

The affected school says it has taken the matter to its local governor association and has had a response from the Welsh Assembly’s education minister Jane Davidson. It also contacted the Department for Education and Skills in England. In the end, governors and staff ensured better candidates stood for election, and were relieved when the banned parent did not make the board.

Jane Phillips, chairwoman of the National Association of Governors and Managers, said: “Here we have a case where staff in school are fearful for their safety. It presents a real conundrum, as the governing body has a duty of care towards employees at the school. How can it exercise this duty if one of its members is the perpetrator of violent behaviour towards staff? It can’t.”

A DFES spokesperson said: “Existing regulations allow for the removal of appointed governors by their appointing authority, but not for the removal of elected governors. We have no immediate plans to extend the current removal powers, but we will be consulting on new regulations later in the year.”