A father worried about Ebola arriving in the UK has taken his teenage daughter out of school because it will not let her wear a facemask.
Jon O'Brien, from Turvey, Bedfordshire, said staff at Sharnbrook Upper School told him that wearing a mask "wouldn't be appropriate".
The father said it was his "right as a concerned parent".
Bedford Borough Council said parents who remove children from school without "legitimate reason" may be prosecuted.
"Under the Education Act, we are required to ensure that an individual's access to education is not disrupted," a council spokesman said.
"Therefore, if a parent removes their child from school without a legitimate reason, they are liable for prosecution."
The school said nobody was available to comment.
Mr O'Brien claimed that when he approached the school he was told his 13-year-old daughter could not wear a mask because there had been no reported cases of Ebola being transmitted in the UK.
But he said information on the disease was "changing daily".
Public Health England did not comment directly on Mr O'Brien's actions, but stated: "It is important to remember that for Ebola to be transmitted from one person to another contact with blood or other body fluids are needed.
"As such, if England was to see a case of Ebola this would not result in a serious, extended outbreak here."
Jon O'Brien Mr O'Brien said he was trying to "minimise the risk"
Mr O'Brien said: "This time next week when there is a reported case [in the UK], can my child wear a mask then?
"Unfortunately they could have already caught something. Prevention is better than a cure."
The 44-year-old said he has "the right to protect" his child, was "sickened" by the school's attitude and is teaching his daughter at home.
There's always one
There's always one
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
Re: There's always one
Your best defense is hand washing, really thorough hand washing.
Re: There's always one
If I ever run across that goofy dude in the photo, I'll remember that. 
Re: There's always one
Quite frankly, I've often wished we could do away with the handshake in favor of a bow or head nod in this culture. Especially given that SO many people DON'T wash their hands frequently - even after using the toilet!
If I lived in a very populous place where people are packed like sardines, I would wear a little mask thingy during influenza season.
But of course ebola isn't airborne so this guy is maybe too paranoid.
If I lived in a very populous place where people are packed like sardines, I would wear a little mask thingy during influenza season.
But of course ebola isn't airborne so this guy is maybe too paranoid.
For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
~ Carl Sagan
~ Carl Sagan
Re: There's always one
he's paranoid about infectious disease but he has tattoos?
Okay... There's all kinds of things wrong with what you just said.