A school has paused its decision to welcome back two teachers suspended after a boy with Down syndrome was left outside "naked, wet and crying".
Levi Blackshaw, then 11, was recorded on CCTV cameras "curled up in a ball" after being escorted outside on the cold afternoon of October 30, 2018, at Stanley School in Pensby, Wirral.
Levi, who has significant health problems and is non verbal, was left naked with only a towel round his shoulders for around eight minutes until he was given a pair of shorts - but was then left a further 22 minutes before being brought back inside.
Almost a year later, in September 2019, deputy head teacher Cecilia Maxwell, assistant head teacher Helen Clements and head teacher Anthony Roberts were all suspended pending an investigation into that incident and some unrelated matters.
However, parents were told Ms Maxwell, who allegedly asked for Levi to be taken outside, and Ms Clements, were due to return to the school after the Easter holiday.
One mum told the ECHO she was "completely devastated".
She said: "My child, along with the majority of other children that attend Stanley, are mostly non verbal and vulnerable.
"We fail to see how it is acceptable in any way shape or form that this is being allowed."
A petition, started last week by Shona Ayres, also attracted more than 1,000 signatures.
The petition states: "Parents are signing this petition to show how many there are with safeguarding concerns and that the response received to date is inadequate.
"The majority of the children are non-verbal meaning that truthful and timely communication from our school is vital. As such the lack of communication is extremely concerning due to the trust the parents have to place in the school.
"As such, parents feel that they have no confidence in the decision-making capacity of the Headteacher or the Board of Governors."
In response to the concerns from parents, a letter was sent on March 26, from new head teacher Holly Barker, confirming the decision had been "put on hold".
It said: "Discussions are on-going between the governing body and the Local Authority to agree a way forward, I can confirm that plans for staff members to return to the school following the Easter break will now be put on hold while we work to identify a solution.
"As always, our priority remains to ensure that we provide the best education for our pupils, and a safe and happy environment for all members of the school community."
Levi's mum, Suzanne Cole, was incandescent with rage when she heard about the incident from a witness, and told the ECHO Mr Roberts agreed to show her the distressing CCTV footage of her son's ordeal.
She previously told the ECHO that Levi, who has behavioural difficulties related to his condition, had been acting up on the day of the incident and was left in a classroom on his own.
Suzanne said he began playing with water, got himself wet and decided to take his clothes off.
When staff at the school went to retrieve him, he was taken to a different classroom where Ms Maxwell was present and allegedly asked him to be placed outside.
At the time, Ms Cole said: "When I found out I was just crying. I went into the school and I nearly smashed the classroom up. My partner had to get the social workers and I had to be removed from the building.
"I demanded to see the CCTV footage from the head teacher and it took two weeks, and when we saw it I was crying and even he was crying.
"It was awful. What's really hard is how can you prove how Levi was affected? He is non-verbal, he is not like us."
After the incident Ms Maxwell was investigated, but was then allowed to return to the school - prompting further fury from Suzanne and her partner, Alex Kearney.
However the following year Ms Maxwell was suspended a second time along with Mr Roberts and Ms Clements, pending an investigation.
Then newly appointed head of governors at Stanley School, David Spencer, ordered the suspension of the three staff "as a neutral act" after being presented with the results of a whistleblower investigation by senior Wirral Council officers.
The ECHO understands that the second investigation was related both to Levi's treatment, the school's response and original investigation and the circumstances of Ms Maxwell's return to school as well as other non specified problems.
An email seen by the ECHO also revealed that more than 170 grievances had been filed by staff in relation to the leadership of the school.
Asked about the potential return of Ms Maxwell and Ms Clements, Ms Kearney told the ECHO the couple were "absolutely appalled".
A spokesman for Wirral Council, responding on behalf of the school, said the leadership team had no comment on the staffing situation at the present time beyond the letter sent to parents.
Levi, now 13, is a pupil at Foxfield School in Birkenhead and is doing "really well".
