School drama students told to 're-enact the Hillsborough disaster' dad of 12-year-old says

A parent has shared his anger at a school after his daughter came home and told him her class had re-enacted the Hillsborough disaster in which 97 Liverpool supporters died.

St John Fisher Catholic High School in Wigan were teaching a drama lesson to 12-year-olds about the 1989 incident.

The student told her dad that the class re-enacted the crush, with some students pretending to be dead and others instructed to say lines.

Speaking to the Liverpool ECHO, the dad said: "When she told me they were being told to recreate the crush shouting 'don't crush me, stop crushing me' and some of them being told to 'die', I was shocked. I thought it was disgraceful.

"I thought they would do something about court and have half of them on one side and the other half arguing, and doing the fight for justice."

The school insisted to the Liverpool ECHO that the students were taught the topic “with the utmost respect”

St John Fisher Catholic High School said: “The Hillsborough disaster was a tragedy that left an indelible mark on this country, particularly here in the North West.

“Our pupils learn about Hillsborough - and other tragic events, such as the Aberfan mining disaster - as part of a drama project, focussing on how communities came together in response, and have done for a number of years.

“Pupils learn about the social and societal context, exploring texts and poems - including The Ballad of Hillsborough - and we ensure this important subject is treated with the utmost respect.

“We note that Liverpool City Council recently voted in favour of including Hillsborough in the curriculum for schools and we support this approach.”

Labour’s Ian Byrne told Ministers last year that the Hillsborough disaster should be taught to schoolchildren as part of the national curriculum.

Mr Byrne, the MP for Liverpool West Derby, wants the events of the past 32 years and the continuing campaign for justice to be included in the education programme.

He spoke movingly in Parliament last year about his experiences of the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Sheffield Wednesday’s ground.

He fought back tears as he recalled being left “questioning my own eyes” after “smears” and “lies” were pushed by the police and other establishment figures.

Survivors and the families of the 97 fans who lost their lives as a result of the disaster have been involved in a three-decade campaign in pursuit of justice.