A disciplinary hearing involving secondary school teacher Enoch Burke has ended in Mullingar.
RTE News is reporting the board of management of Wilson’s Hospital School in Co Westmeath will now consider the matter further and issue a decision in due course.
The proceedings – Under Section 4 of the Department of Education Circular 49/2018 – relate to alleged gross misconduct.
Yesterday, the High Court refused to grant Mr Burke an injunction to prevent the hearing from proceeding.
It got underway shortly after 10am this morning but was disrupted by Mr Burke and some members of his family, who took issue with the manner in which the proceedings were being held.
They repeatedly chanted that the chairperson of the board of management should be present at the meeting. The person in question fell ill last night.
In their absence, members elected a new chairperson for today’s hearing.
Amid heated protests by the Burke family, local gardaí were called to the scene. They left a short time ago.
Sources close to the board of management say the process was conducted “to the letter” of the relevant department circular, in relation to disciplinary procedures.
These govern revised guidelines for the suspension or dismissal of teachers and principals.
The circular states that following the hearing, the board will notify the teacher of its decision and any intended disciplinary action, if that be the outcome of its deliberations.
Such sanctions can range from final written censure up to dismissal.
The circular says any disciplinary action should be proportionate to the nature of the issue of professional competence.
Any teacher or principal subject to sanction has the right of appeal to an independent appeal panel, which would be appointed by the board of management.
Mr Burke has so far made no further comment after the conclusion of the meeting.
A dispute between Mr Burke and the school arose after the then principal of the school sent an email to staff asking them to address a pupil by a new name and “they/them” pronouns.
