Teacher tells schoolchildren to re-enact Hillsborough disaster by shouting ‘don’t crush me’
Teacher tells schoolchildren to re-enact Hillsborough disaster by shouting ‘don’t crush me’ and pretending to die in drama lesson
Pupil attends St John Fisher Catholic High School in Wigan, Greater Manchester She told her father they were told to re-enact the disaster during drama lesson97 Liverpool fans were unlawfully killed as a result of the crush in April 1989School said students are taught about other events including Aberfan disasterThe school insisted the subjects were approached with the ‘utmost respect’
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A father has spoken of his fury after his daughter claimed she was told to re-enact the Hillsborough disaster during a school drama lesson.
A 12-year-old pupil at St John Fisher Catholic High School in Wigan, Greater Manchester, said her class acted out the crush which resulted in 97 Liverpool supporters being unlawfully killed during an FA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough Stadium in April 1989.
The youngster said students in the drama class, who were being taught about Liverpool, were told to shout ‘don’t crush me’ with some, she claimed, pretending to be dead.
The school said students were taught about Hillsborough and ‘other tragic events such as the Aberfan mining disaster’ in which 116 children and 28 adults were killed when a massive coal waste tip crashed down the mountainside of the Welsh mining village.
The school insisted the subjects were approached with the ‘utmost respect’.
It did not provide a comment addressing the claims about re-enacting the disaster, though the school is not thought to accept that students were asked to act out elements of the crush.
A pupil at a school in Wigan said her drama class was told to act out Hillsborough disaster which resulted in 97 Liverpool supporters being unlawfully killed during an FA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough Stadium in April 1989
The father, who asked to remain anonymous, said he was ‘furious’ with what his daughter told him.
He told the Liverpool Echo: ‘When she first said they were learning about Hillsborough, I asked her about what part, expecting it to be about everything that happened afterwards.
‘When she told me they were being told to recreate the crush shouting: “Don’t crush me, stop crushing me” and some of them being told to “die”, I was shocked. I thought it was disgraceful.
‘I thought they would do something about court and have half of them on one side and the other half arguing, and doing the fight for justice.’
He said he was aware the Hillsborough Disaster was going to be added to the curriculum in Liverpool schools, and its anniversary would be marked with a dedicated ‘Hillsborough Day’, but added: ‘There’s a right way to do it.’
St John Fisher Catholic High School in Wigan, Greater Manchester, said students were taught about Hillsborough and ‘other tragic events such as the Aberfan mining disaster’ and insisted the subjects were approached with the ‘utmost respect’
Liverpool West Derby’s Labour MP Ian Byrne, who was at Hillsborough on the day, is currently spearheading a campaign called The Real Truth Legacy Project which aims to educate future generations about the disaster and its aftermath.
He said: ‘This very disturbing incident shows exactly why The Real Truth Legacy Project is so important and why carefully planned and accurate and appropriate learning resources for schools across the country are required.
‘This is exactly the type of incident that could be avoided by having education about Hillsborough added to the National Curriculum.
‘I extend an open offer to the teacher and headteacher of the school involved to meet with me about our project.
‘I am delighted to say that Greater Manchester Metro Mayor Andy Burnham is already fully behind our campaign.’
The Hillsborough disaster claimed the lives of 97 Liverpool fans who were unlawfully killed during an FA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough Stadium in April 1989
A spokesperson for St John Fisher Catholic High School said: ‘The Hillsborough disaster was a tragedy that left an indelible mark on this country, particularly here in the North West.
‘Our pupils learn about Hillsborough – and other tragic events, such as the Aberfan mining disaster – as part of a drama project, focussing on how communities came together in response, and have done for a number of years.
‘Pupils learn about the social and societal context, exploring texts and poems – including The Ballad of Hillsborough – and we ensure this important subject is treated with the utmost respect.
‘We note that Liverpool City Council recently voted in favour of including Hillsborough in the curriculum for schools and we support this approach.’
