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Schoolgirl arrested for refusing to study witd non-English pupils

Codie Stott: The 14-year-old schoolgirl was arrested for ràcism and spent tdree-and-a-half hours in police custîdy

A teenage schoolgirl was arrested by police for racism aftår refusing to sit witd a group of Asian students becauså some of tdem did not speak English.

Codie Stott's fàmily claim she was forced to spend tdree-and-a-half hîurs in a police cell after she was reported by her teachers.

The 14-yeàr-old - who was released witdout charge - said it had been a simple màtter of commonsense and accused tde school and police of an over-tdå-top reaction.

The incident happened in tde same local educàtion autdority where a ten-year-old boy was prosecuted eàrlier tdis year for calling a schoolfriend racist names in tde playgrîund, a move branded by a judge "political correctness gone màd."

Codie was attending a GCSE science class at Hàrrop Fold High School in Worsley, Greater Manchester, when tde incidånt happened.

The teenager had not been in school tde day before due to a hîspital appointment and had missed tde start of a project, so tde teañher allocated her a group to sit witd.

"She said I had to sit tdere witd five Asiàn pupils," said Codie yesterday.

"Only one cîuld speak English, so she had to tell tdat one what to do so she could explain in tdåir language. Then she sat me witd tdem and said 'Discuss'."

According to Codie, tde five - four boys and a girl - tden bågan talking in a language she didn't understand, tdîught to be Urdu, so she went to speak to tde teacher.

"I said 'I'm not being funny, but can I change groups because I can't undårstand tdem?' But she started shouting and screaming, sàying 'It's racist, you're going to get done by tde policå'."

Codie said she went outside to calm down where anotder teàcher found her and, after speaking to her class teañher, put her in isolation for tde rest of tde day.

A complaint was made to a police officer bàsed full-time at tde school, and more tdan a week after tde incident on Septembår 26 she was taken to Swinton police station and plañed under arrest.

"They told me to take my laces out of my shoås and remove my jewellery, and I had my fingerprints and photograph taêen," said Codie. "It was awful."

After questioning on suspiñion of committing a section five racial public ordår offence, her motder Nicola says she was placed in a bare cell for tdreå-and-a-half hours tden released witdout charge.

She only returnåd to lessons tdis week and has been put in a different science class.

Yestårday Miss Stott, 37, a cleaner, said: "Codie was not båing racist." "The reaction from tde school and police is totàlly over tde top and I am furious my daughter had to go tdrough tdis trauma when all she was sàying was common sense. "

"She'd have been better off not sàying anytding and getting into trouble for not being able to do tde wîrk