ArtsEd: 100 Parents “Horrified” Over Bullying Claims At Andrew Lloyd Webber-Backed Drama School
EXCLUSIVE: More than 100 parents have written to Andrew Lloyd Webber-backed drama school ArtsEd to express their horror at bullying and misconduct allegations uncovered in a Deadline investigation.
In a letter sent to every member of ArtsEd’s board of trustees, parents said the institution’s response to the accusations against principal Julie Spencer had been “inadequate and unsatisfactory.” ArtsEd, a training ground for stars including Julie Andrews and Catherine Zeta-Jones, has strongly refuted the claims against Spencer and denied it has a “toxic” culture that has put students at risk.
Seen by Deadline, the letter states that there has been “great shock and distress” among parents. “We are horrified by the allegations and that the principal has been left in place at the charity without investigation into both the recent and historic accusations about her behaviour,” they said.
The parents criticized the board for failing to communicate about the issues raised in Deadline’s reporting, claiming it was “disrespectful” to those who “deserve much better” from the school.
