Quote: Head teacher 'snaps' and runs over keyboard
A head teacher had a “Basil Fawlty-style” meltdown in front of his pupils, when he destroyed an electric organ by repeatedly running over it in his car.
By Jasper Copping1:37PM BST 09 Jul 2013
Malcolm Hayes was playing the instrument during an assembly at Horsmonden Primary School, near Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, when he is said to have “snapped”.
He began smashing and punching the keyboard before picking it up, and asking pupils to follow him as he carried it outside.
The 49-year-old then attacked the organ again in the middle of the car park, before getting into his car, and running it over several times.
Parents of pupils who witnessed the incident, last week, have complained to the school’s board of governors and Mr Hayes has now taken medical leave.
In 2001, the teacher was the focus of national attention after he left his wife, Paula, to set up home with their then 16-year-old foster daughter Rhoxan Kenward. Mr Hayes – who has previously been voted “teacher of the year” in a local newspaper competition – was allowed to continue teaching at the primary school and has since married Miss Kenward.
The parent of a pupil who witnessed the incident last week said: “When my child came home that day and told me what had happened, I couldn’t believe it. I called around other parents to find out what had gone on.
“But they were all saying the same thing, it sounds like he’s had a complete breakdown in front of the kids – it’s like he’s just gone mad.
“One minute he was playing the organ, the next he’s smashing the keys and behaving really aggressively.
“It’s a primary school, so some of the children didn’t really understand if it was all part of some show, but by the time he was revving his car and crushing the organ, a few were quite scared.
“I imagined him looking like Basil Fawlty when he thrashed his car in Fawlty Towers with a tree branch.”
It is not known whether any other teachers tried to intervene at the time. Grant Leslie, the chairman of the board of the governors for the school, declined to comment, referring inquiries to Kent County Council. A spokesman there said Mr Hayes was absent from his role for “medical” reasons.
In a statement, the council said: “Malcolm Hayes, head teacher at Horsmonden Primary School, is on medical leave at the moment and it would be inappropriate to discuss the circumstances surrounding his leave.
“The county council has been involved to make sure that the school has appropriate leadership arrangements in place while the head teacher is absent and it is providing support to Mr Hayes. | 
