Luke Slight be allowed to attend Prom on 19 June 2025
The Issue
This petition is created to gain support for my son, Luke Slight to attend Prom in June 2025 as the Head Teacher is refusing to allow him attend. Luke is in year 11 and currently attends Ash Manor School in Ash, Aldershot.
On 20 June 2024, Luke was woken to me screaming and performing CPR on his father. Unfortunately, there was nothing that could be done and his father died at home after the paramedics did everything they could to help him. My son at the age of 14 sadly witnessed his father die in such traumatic circumstances. As you can imagine this has had a significant impact on Luke and has suffered with PTSD since then and has been receiving counselling for this.
Luke has struggled this last school year and has received very little support from the school (to put in a little bit of context, Luke never received any condolences from the school or even a card!). The only allowances that have been made is for Luke to not to be given detentions for coming in to school late after suffering with a bad nights sleep and an exit card to allow him to leave lessons to go to the “Bridge” if he needs some time out. The school also made him sit through an assembly on first aid and CPR 2 months after his fathers death and then wondered why he struggled afterwards!
Fast forward to March 2025, 6 months after his father died and 2 days before his late father’s birthday and also Luke was currently doing his mock GCSEs that week. Unfortunately, my son realised he did not have enough money on his school account to buy himself some lunch so he sent me a message at lunch break to ask me to put some on. The school like all others has banned the use of mobile phones for the whole of the school day(unless it suits the teachers in lessons that they need to use them!) Luke was unfortunately seen by a teacher who then demanded he hand over his mobile phone, Luke immediately got upset and refused so the teacher said he would receive a detention. Unfortunately, in this high pressured and stressful period where Luke was doing his mocks, it was his late fathers birthday only days away that it all got too much for Luke and he had what can only be described as a mental breakdown and swore at the teacher and ran through the school to get to the ‘Bridge’ for some time out. This was out of character for Luke and one of the teachers even commented that they had not ever seen Luke behave like this and would not have been anything that he would have normally done.
The Head Teacher then made the decision to suspend Luke for the rest of the week and this resulted in Luke being banned from Prom. Luke was aware of the rules surrounding prom but unfortunately due to his mental health issues he made an extremely poor reaction which he regretted immediately and subsequently sent an email apology to all of the teachers concerned along with the Head Teacher, Luke never received an acknowledgment of his apology.
Prom is being held on 19 June 2025, which is the Eve of the first anniversary of his father’s death. On 19 June 2024, Luke, myself and his father had a wonderful evening out together where Luke played his electric guitar at an event which his father was immensely proud of. Little did we know that hours later his father would die. Luke wanted to attend Prom riding on the back of his late father’s motorbike and to celebrate the end of secondary school with his friends. This would have helped Luke not think about the events that took place exactly one year ago to the day.
I have appealed to the Head Teacher and have provided a letter from Luke’s counsellor confirming Luke is suffering with PTSD along with all the symptoms he is experiencing. Unfortunately, my appeal was unsuccessful and the decision for him not to attend Prom still stands, I was hoping for some compassion from the Head Teacher but sadly that has not been forthcoming.
Myself and Luke completely understand that Luke should not have sworn at the teacher but there were extenuating circumstances that led to this and I would have hoped this would be taken into account.
This therefore, is my last attempt to try to get my Prince Charming to the ball so if you do agree with me, please sign this petition and send on to anyone who you think may also wish to sign and just maybe with enough public support they may change their decision.
Many thanks
Sophie Slight
1,693
The Issue
This petition is created to gain support for my son, Luke Slight to attend Prom in June 2025 as the Head Teacher is refusing to allow him attend. Luke is in year 11 and currently attends Ash Manor School in Ash, Aldershot.
On 20 June 2024, Luke was woken to me screaming and performing CPR on his father. Unfortunately, there was nothing that could be done and his father died at home after the paramedics did everything they could to help him. My son at the age of 14 sadly witnessed his father die in such traumatic circumstances. As you can imagine this has had a significant impact on Luke and has suffered with PTSD since then and has been receiving counselling for this.
Luke has struggled this last school year and has received very little support from the school (to put in a little bit of context, Luke never received any condolences from the school or even a card!). The only allowances that have been made is for Luke to not to be given detentions for coming in to school late after suffering with a bad nights sleep and an exit card to allow him to leave lessons to go to the “Bridge” if he needs some time out. The school also made him sit through an assembly on first aid and CPR 2 months after his fathers death and then wondered why he struggled afterwards!
Fast forward to March 2025, 6 months after his father died and 2 days before his late father’s birthday and also Luke was currently doing his mock GCSEs that week. Unfortunately, my son realised he did not have enough money on his school account to buy himself some lunch so he sent me a message at lunch break to ask me to put some on. The school like all others has banned the use of mobile phones for the whole of the school day(unless it suits the teachers in lessons that they need to use them!) Luke was unfortunately seen by a teacher who then demanded he hand over his mobile phone, Luke immediately got upset and refused so the teacher said he would receive a detention. Unfortunately, in this high pressured and stressful period where Luke was doing his mocks, it was his late fathers birthday only days away that it all got too much for Luke and he had what can only be described as a mental breakdown and swore at the teacher and ran through the school to get to the ‘Bridge’ for some time out. This was out of character for Luke and one of the teachers even commented that they had not ever seen Luke behave like this and would not have been anything that he would have normally done.
The Head Teacher then made the decision to suspend Luke for the rest of the week and this resulted in Luke being banned from Prom. Luke was aware of the rules surrounding prom but unfortunately due to his mental health issues he made an extremely poor reaction which he regretted immediately and subsequently sent an email apology to all of the teachers concerned along with the Head Teacher, Luke never received an acknowledgment of his apology.
Prom is being held on 19 June 2025, which is the Eve of the first anniversary of his father’s death. On 19 June 2024, Luke, myself and his father had a wonderful evening out together where Luke played his electric guitar at an event which his father was immensely proud of. Little did we know that hours later his father would die. Luke wanted to attend Prom riding on the back of his late father’s motorbike and to celebrate the end of secondary school with his friends. This would have helped Luke not think about the events that took place exactly one year ago to the day.
I have appealed to the Head Teacher and have provided a letter from Luke’s counsellor confirming Luke is suffering with PTSD along with all the symptoms he is experiencing. Unfortunately, my appeal was unsuccessful and the decision for him not to attend Prom still stands, I was hoping for some compassion from the Head Teacher but sadly that has not been forthcoming.
Myself and Luke completely understand that Luke should not have sworn at the teacher but there were extenuating circumstances that led to this and I would have hoped this would be taken into account.
This therefore, is my last attempt to try to get my Prince Charming to the ball so if you do agree with me, please sign this petition and send on to anyone who you think may also wish to sign and just maybe with enough public support they may change their decision.
Many thanks
Sophie Slight
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Petition created on 21 May 2025