The headteacher of a London school where a black schoolgirl was strip-searched while on her period has stood down because of health issues.
The 15-year-old girl, known only as Child Q, was hauled out of an exam and strip-searched by female Metropolitan Police officers at the Hackney-based school without another adult present and in the knowledge she was menstruating.
A safeguarding report concluded the search should never have happened, was unjustified and racism was “likely” to have been a factor.
The teenager is now suing the school and Met Police over the incident, which took place in December 2020 after a teacher wrongly accused the girl of possessing cannabis.
In a letter to parents, the school said “an outstanding headteacher” is already in place to take over the role of headteacher.
During the incident last year, police arrived at the school after being called by teachers, who said they were concerned the teenager had drugs in her possession because she smelt of cannabis.
She was taken to the school’s medical room and searched by two female officers, while teachers remained outside.
During the search her intimate body parts were exposed and she was asked to take off her sanitary towel, according to the safeguarding review.
No other adult was present, her parents were not contacted, and no drugs were found. She was then sent home by taxi, later sharing her distress with her mother.
The Met Police later apologised for the incident, saying the officers’ actions were “regrettable” and it “should never have happened”.
During an online community meeting on 23 March, Hackney’s police commander Marcus Barnett revealed he only learned of the incident in January 2021 – a month after it took place.
Two of the five officers involved were removed from frontline duties on 17 March – three days after the publication of the damning report.
The school governing body also issued an apology to the child and her parents in March, but claimed staff were “not aware a strip-search was taking place”.
According to the BBC, the school has changed the leadership of its governing board since the incident – but the chair of governors was reportedly still in place six months later.
