A Church of England primary school in Huddersfield has left parents angry and confused after removing the cross on its school badge.
The cross, part of a pupil’s winning entry in a competition to design the new badge, was dropped following alleged complaints.
Parents were outraged, with one saying she had spoken to Muslim friends at the school who said they were not upset about the cross logo.
Replaced
The school is the result of a merger between three schools around Crosland Moor, near Huddersfield.
A competition was held to select a new badge for the school following the merger.
Headteacher David Bendall has been pictured in front of the cross logo, and some school uniforms have also been made with it.
However, the cross has now been replaced by three branches of a tree to symbolise the three previous schools, with Bendall also claiming the tree is “an ancient symbol representing many beliefs”.
‘Keep the cross’
Niki Trepak, who has four children at the school, said: “Staff have said people have complained about the cross yet the head is saying it was only temporary.
“Why would you make temporary banners and produce temporary uniforms?”
She also said: “I’ve got quite a few Muslim friends at the school and I asked them does the cross offend you and they said no”, and added: “If it’s going to remain a Church of England school it should keep the cross.”
Another parent, Chelsea Fox, said: “I’m not only disappointed, I’m disgusted”. “Thank the church for your children’s school instead of complaining about a logo”, she added.
‘Many beliefs’
In a statement, headteacher David Bendall said the badge was a “temporary design”.
“It was not confirmed as the final logo and was amended to give more prominence to the tree, which not only reflects the school name but is also an ancient symbol representing many beliefs.”
He added: “We hope people will agree that a logo is only a symbol – a school’s qualities are not brought alive by a picture but by the thoughts and actions of the people within it.”