Law Weblog

School dinner lady – unfair dismissal

Tuesday 11 January 2011 at 5:23 pm | In News | Post Comment School dinner lady, Carol Hill was suspended from Great Tey primary school, Essex, after telling the parents of a seven-year-old that she had been tied to a fence and hit with a skipping rope by a group of boys.

She has won her claim for unfair dismissal.

The Employment Tribunal heard that the girl appeared to have been tied to a playing field fence by her wrist and then “whipped” across the legs with a skipping rope. Deborah Crabb, the school’s headteacher said the incident was not bullying but an “inappropriate game” which went too far.

She sent a letter to the girl’s parent’s saying she has a minor accident. However, at a scouts meeting outside school, Hill gave more details to the girl’s mother and a written statement to the girl’s family, which was passed to police, and then called a local newspaper to tell of her suspension.   She was dismissed by governors after telling a local newspaper what had happened to her.

The headteacher said that Hill was sacked for committing the “offence” of “going to the press”. The tribunal panel would consider whether Hill should be compensated and reinstated, at a “remedies hearing” next month.