Former Birmingham City footballer Curtis Woodhouse has publicly condemned Howden School in Yorkshire after his son faced detention for using his phone during a recent lockdown.
The incident occurred on Friday, November 14, when reports surfaced that pupils barricaded themselves inside classrooms using metal bars amid fears of an intruder on campus. Although a brief lockdown was implemented, school officials later confirmed there was no actual threat, deeming it a false alarm.
Woodhouse’s son, a student at Howden School, contacted his father by phone during the lockdown to update him on the situation. Despite being frightened by the ordeal, the boy was later given detention for using his phone during the emergency.
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Speaking out on social media, Woodhouse shared his frustration: “I had the call today no parent ever wants – that an intruder was in my son’s school and a lockdown was in place. Thankfully, everyone is safe now, but my son came home really shaken. Our kids shouldn’t have to live in a world like this.”
He expressed outrage at the school’s decision to punish his son: “He was calling and texting me, terrified, and yet he received a detention. What kind of decision is that? The kid was petrified!”
The school released statements emphasizing that student safety is their top priority, detailing how lockdown procedures were enacted swiftly and police conducted a thorough search. It was ultimately discovered that the “intruder” was in fact a student, prompting the lockdown to be lifted.
Senior staff members visited classrooms immediately after the incident and spoke again the following day to reassure students and offer support. The school acknowledged the event was unsettling but stressed their commitment to the wellbeing of their community.
Despite the school’s reassurances, Woodhouse remained critical of how the situation was handled, especially the disciplinary action against his son after a distressing and frightening experience.