A white pupil was battered with a hammer at a school where politically correct teachers were afraid to deal with racial tensions, the High Court heard yesterday.
Henry Webster (right), 15, suffered a fractured skull and brain damage after being set upon by a gang of Asian youths.
Twelve people were jailed over the 2007 attack, but Mr Webster’s parents have now brought a civil action against Ridgeway Foundation School near Swindon.
They claim there was a negligent failure to maintain proper discipline and deal with racial tension and are seeking compensation of up to £1million.
The family’s lawyers told the court a ‘culture of racist bullying and harassment’ built up around a 30-strong gang called the ‘Asian Invasion’.
Teachers were too anxious about being seen as bigoted to intervene,but white pupils were branded ‘racist’ by the acting headmaster andgiven harsher punishments.
Robert Glancey, QC, representing the family, said tensions escalated after the July 7 London bombings in 2005 and when more Asian pupils joined the school, some of whom were ‘radicalised and hostile’.
Serious incidents included a riot on the playing field in May 2006, which led to armed police attending the school.
Atthe same time, white pupils received unfair treatment, the court wastold. One boy was disciplined for wearing an England shirt.