A Midland headteacher has led calls for schools to consider legal action against pupils who falsely accuse their staff of abuse.
The National Association of Head Teachers wants moves to target a test case to go before the courts to set a legal precedent.
Such action would help deter parents and children from deliberately levelling malicious accusations at teachers in future, heads argued.
Delegates at the NAHT annual conference yesterday unanimously backed a motion urging the union's leaders to investigate how to sue pupils or their families.
Michael Murphy, from Corpus Christi Primary School in Wolverhampton, said teachers who are victims of false allegations had to suffer "public humiliation, gossip and rumour" and the fear of losing their jobs (more)