A huge group of angry pupils went on strike yesterday after their school banned them from wearing bracelets in support of a classmate with leukaemia. Police were called in when 100 pupils walked out of lessons at Bilton School in Rugby, Warwickshire, after being told they could only wear 'Team Joel' bracelets on a non-uniform day next month. Pupils who want to wear the wristbands in support of Joel Smith - a Year 11 pupil who is undergoing hospital treatment - on other days have been warned they will be violating the school's uniform policy. Tragic case: Joel Smith, a Year 11 pupil at Bilton School in Rugby, Warwickshire, died last Thursday evening . Controversy: Police were called by teachers when 100 pupils walked out of lessons at Bilton School in Rugby, Warwickshire, after being told they could only wear 'Team Joel' bracelets (pictured) on a non-uniform day . Made by his family: Wristbands in support of leukaemia sufferer Joel Smith and the Teenage Cancer Trust . Showing their support: Pupils at Bilton School in Rugby showed whose side they were on last week . Joel's family have been making and selling the beaded bracelets to raise funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust. But yesterday, pupils mounted a protest against the bracelet ban on the school field. Mother Emma Howell told the Daily Mirror that she would support her daughter Laura's participation in the strike, despite it resulting in her missing a mock examination yesterday. She said: 'I support my daughter. If she's excluded for five days there will be no punishment at home. She won't be missing out on anything because she's just revising anyway as she's in Year 11. 'The only resolution I can see is if the school back down because the pupils are very passionate about this, and I can’t see them letting it go.’ The school said it had responded several weeks ago to a request from the children to have a non-uniform day for Joel, and he had requested that pupils wear blue and white coloured clothing. Support for staff and pupils: A Bilton School statement said it was an 'extraordinarily sad and difficult time' Reasoning: The school said it had responded several weeks ago to a request from the children to have a non-uniform day for Joel, and he had requested that pupils wear blue and white coloured clothing . Firm stance: Bilton School refused to let its pupils wear a charity bracelet in support of the pupil every day . This was planned for April 11, but the . school also told pupils that the bracelets could only be sold and . worn on that day - a policy which has caused much anger among the children. A . spokesman said: ‘We spoke to students and said that they could show . their support by attaching the bracelets to bags or keys but not wear . them as bracelets, in order to comply with our policies. 'We called the police who supported us in evaluating the safety of staff and students, which is paramount to us' Bilton School spokesman . ‘This has been the topic of quite extensive social media comment over the last two days, culminating in a call from students and parents for students to strike yesterday. ‘Although this was a largely peaceful event, we called the police who supported us in evaluating the safety of staff and students, which is paramount to us.’ The school added that it then told pupils how it was helping Joel and his family - and the many of them who quickly returned to lessons would make up the lost learning time during detentions. Punishment: The school said it explained to the students how it was helping Joel and his family, and those who quickly returned to lessons would make up the lost learning time during detentions . But the spokesman continued: ‘There were a small minority of students whose actions can only be described as anti-social and potentially dangerous who used this as an opportunity to be disruptive. ‘These students were putting pressure on others not to go back into classrooms and contacted the press. We will be evaluating the actions we will be taking with these students over the next few days.’ 'The only resolution I can see is if the school back down . because the pupils are very passionate about this, and I can’t see them letting . it go’ Emma Howell, mother . The Facebook page 'Spotted: Rugby Town' has been inundated with angry comments since the ban on bracelets was announced. One comment said: ‘Disgraceful, how must Joel be feeling knowing his own school are not supporting him in the biggest fight of his life? They should be ashamed of themselves.’ And another added: ‘Students should keep wearing them, they can't send the whole school home. Show solidarity against a stupid rule.’ Doing their bit: The school said it had responded several weeks ago to a request from students to have a non-uniform day for Joel, and he had requested that students wear blue and white coloured clothing . It comes after MailOnline reported last week that a teacher in Essex allegedly ordered a 10-year-old boy to take off his Help for Heroes wristband because it could cause offence. Tracy Tew was shocked when her son Charlie was put on a report card at Maldon Primary School after he refused to take off the charity rubber bracelet sold to honour injured soldiers. Charlie wore the wristband - bought at the Colchester Military Festival - in honour of murdered soldier Lee Rigby and service personnel in his family, including his great-granddad and uncle. Tracy Thornton, the headmistress at that school, insisted wearing wristbands was against the school’s jewellery policy.
Police called in when 100 pupils leave lessons at Bilton School in Rugby .
They can only wear 'Team Joel' bracelets on non-uniform day next month .
Joel Smith's family have been making bracelets to raise funds for charity .
Teachers called police to help 'evaluate the safety of staff and students'
Critics label school 'disgraceful' and urge its pupils to 'show solidarity'
A huge group of angry pupils went on strike yesterday after their school banned them from wearing bracelets in support of a classmate with leukaemia. Police were called in when 100 pupils walked out of lessons at Bilton School in Rugby, Warwickshire, after being told they could only wear 'Team Joel' bracelets on a non-uniform day next month. Pupils who want to wear the wristbands in support of Joel Smith - a Year 11 pupil who is undergoing hospital treatment - on other days have been warned they will be violating the school's uniform policy. Tragic case: Joel Smith, a Year 11 pupil at Bilton School in Rugby, Warwickshire, died last Thursday evening . Controversy: Police were called by teachers when 100 pupils walked out of lessons at Bilton School in Rugby, Warwickshire, after being told they could only wear 'Team Joel' bracelets (pictured) on a non-uniform day . Made by his family: Wristbands in support of leukaemia sufferer Joel Smith and the Teenage Cancer Trust . Showing their support: Pupils at Bilton School in Rugby showed whose side they were on last week . Joel's family have been making and selling the beaded bracelets to raise funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust. But yesterday, pupils mounted a protest against the bracelet ban on the school field. Mother Emma Howell told the Daily Mirror that she would support her daughter Laura's participation in the strike, despite it resulting in her missing a mock examination yesterday. She said: 'I support my daughter. If she's excluded for five days there will be no punishment at home. She won't be missing out on anything because she's just revising anyway as she's in Year 11. 'The only resolution I can see is if the school back down because the pupils are very passionate about this, and I can’t see them letting it go.’ The school said it had responded several weeks ago to a request from the children to have a non-uniform day for Joel, and he had requested that pupils wear blue and white coloured clothing. Support for staff and pupils: A Bilton School statement said it was an 'extraordinarily sad and difficult time' Reasoning: The school said it had responded several weeks ago to a request from the children to have a non-uniform day for Joel, and he had requested that pupils wear blue and white coloured clothing . Firm stance: Bilton School refused to let its pupils wear a charity bracelet in support of the pupil every day . This was planned for April 11, but the . school also told pupils that the bracelets could only be sold and . worn on that day - a policy which has caused much anger among the children. A . spokesman said: ‘We spoke to students and said that they could show . their support by attaching the bracelets to bags or keys but not wear . them as bracelets, in order to comply with our policies. 'We called the police who supported us in evaluating the safety of staff and students, which is paramount to us' Bilton School spokesman . ‘This has been the topic of quite extensive social media comment over the last two days, culminating in a call from students and parents for students to strike yesterday. ‘Although this was a largely peaceful event, we called the police who supported us in evaluating the safety of staff and students, which is paramount to us.’ The school added that it then told pupils how it was helping Joel and his family - and the many of them who quickly returned to lessons would make up the lost learning time during detentions. Punishment: The school said it explained to the students how it was helping Joel and his family, and those who quickly returned to lessons would make up the lost learning time during detentions . But the spokesman continued: ‘There were a small minority of students whose actions can only be described as anti-social and potentially dangerous who used this as an opportunity to be disruptive. ‘These students were putting pressure on others not to go back into classrooms and contacted the press. We will be evaluating the actions we will be taking with these students over the next few days.’ 'The only resolution I can see is if the school back down . because the pupils are very passionate about this, and I can’t see them letting . it go’ Emma Howell, mother . The Facebook page 'Spotted: Rugby Town' has been inundated with angry comments since the ban on bracelets was announced. One comment said: ‘Disgraceful, how must Joel be feeling knowing his own school are not supporting him in the biggest fight of his life? They should be ashamed of themselves.’ And another added: ‘Students should keep wearing them, they can't send the whole school home. Show solidarity against a stupid rule.’ Doing their bit: The school said it had responded several weeks ago to a request from students to have a non-uniform day for Joel, and he had requested that students wear blue and white coloured clothing . It comes after MailOnline reported last week that a teacher in Essex allegedly ordered a 10-year-old boy to take off his Help for Heroes wristband because it could cause offence. Tracy Tew was shocked when her son Charlie was put on a report card at Maldon Primary School after he refused to take off the charity rubber bracelet sold to honour injured soldiers. Charlie wore the wristband - bought at the Colchester Military Festival - in honour of murdered soldier Lee Rigby and service personnel in his family, including his great-granddad and uncle. Tracy Thornton, the headmistress at that school, insisted wearing wristbands was against the school’s jewellery policy.
leukaemia. Police were called in when 100 pupils walked out of lessons at Bilton School in Rugby, wear 'Team Joel' bracelets on a non-uniform day . Joel's family have been making and selling the beaded bracelets to raise funds for the Teenage evaluating the safety of staff and students,