A KISS is just a kiss. But not if you are a vicar helping a class of ten-year-old children with their long division.

In Staffordshire, a vicar has been forced to step down as the chairman of governors of a school after he kissed a girl on the forehead in a maths class.

Yesterday the Rev Alan Barrett, 58, a married grandfather of two, told The Times that he was devastated by the turn of events.

As chairman of governors at William MacGregor school for the past five years, Mr Barrett said he had often helped out in class, when looking round the school. The 30 children were struggling to understand how to do long division so, alongside two teachers, he did his bit. “I helped several with their calculators and long-hand. She [the girl] was struggling a bit and finally achieved it,” he said. “I kissed her on the forehead in front of everyone and moved on.”

Shortly afterwards a complaint was made to the police about the vicar, who has served the parish of Tamworth for nine years. After investigating the incident, with social services and the local authority, they concluded there was no case to answer.

The girl’s mother made a complaint to the Bishop of Lichfield. An informal investigation was then conducted by the Ven Chris Liley, the Archdeacon of Lichfield, which also found no grounds for disciplinary proceedings, but said that the kiss was inappropriate, according to Gavin Drake, spokesman for the Diocese of Lichfield.

Mr Barrett was later advised to end his links with the school and step down as chairman of the governors.

“The conclusion that Mr Barrett had acted inappropriately is not a finding of guilt or negligence, but recognition that in today’s climate, previously acceptable innocent behaviour is now subject to misunderstanding and suspicion,” Mr Drake said. “As the complaint and subsequent police investigation demonstrates, the simple act of a kiss on the cheek, a common greeting around the world, has potentially damaging consequences.”

The Bishop of Lichfield has written to the mother and said that if she feels that the conduct still warrants a formal investigation she should lodge a formal complaint.

The spokesman said the diocese took child protection very seriously and had policies in place which all parishes were required to abide by.

Mr Barrett, who had already told governors that he planned to step down this year, said he had been contacted by another local school offering a character reference if needed. He said that he would continue to hold his annual Open Door event to 600 teenagers from as many as 15 schools every summer to teach them about Christianity, spirituality and to help them with their coursework.

“As far as the school is concerned, I’m very sad,” he said. “I hope that once the furore has died down that I can continue my normal pastoral duties.”

Teaching unions last night expressed sympathy with the vicar. Most advise their members to adopt a do-not-touch policy and are clear that kissing of any kind is inappropriate. Although there are few rules laid down for teachers, with the exception of a violent child likely to cause harm to himself or others, teachers are advised never to be on their own with a child and never to touch, in a reassuring or threatening manner.

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