A headmistress has banned parents from swearing in front of their children – because the kids are f***** copying them.
Ahem! Davina Wakelin, head at Meeching Valley Primary School in Newhaven, East Sussex, said children could not be blamed for using expletives because they were merely repeating words overheard at home.
Mrs Wakelin wrote: "I have received complaints regarding parents swearing when bringing children to and from school.
"Swearing is not permitted on school grounds and I ask all parents to think about the language you use when on school grounds. Thank you for your consideration with this matter."
She said pupils had been caught repeating swear words that their parents had been heard using en route to school and in the playground.
(She's got a point: I had a habit of muttering 'Jesus Christ' whenever I got exasperated, but changed it to 'Cheese and Crackers' when my youngest started repeating the blasphemy!)
Mrs Wakelin added: "You do hear the parents talking to each other and there are some parents who swear. "It can be carried through to children. They do not realise that it is the wrong language and children can pick up on it.
"Some children have heard parents swearing and there have been incidents of children subsequently swearing.
"It is unacceptable but we can't blame children – they are just repeating what they have heard. But we have explained to them why it is not acceptable and why it will not be allowed."
The head has the backing of her governors.
One said: "There will always be parents who use bad language because they use it at home and that's just what happens, and you get children who use words like that because that's what their parents are doing.
"But when you're in front of other people's children you should watch what you are saying.
"Parents do get upset when their children have heard words they don't want them to hear.
"It's about consideration for others. It's thinking of the other children in the school, and some parents don't like to hear these words either."
What do you think? Too bossy or quite right?