A council chief has criticised a campaign by parents to stop a Fife head teacher from returning to her job – after she stood next to her husband at court following his sex attack conviction.
Lucy Jess, head teacher at both Wormit and Balmerino primary schools, was pictured leaving Dundee Sheriff Court with her husband Patrick Jess.
He was found guilty of a string of sexual assaults and placed on the sex offenders register earlier this month.
Mrs Jess has been absent from work for several months, however, Fife Council revealed to parents last week that she is set to return to her role “shortly”.
The local authority said the schools are “looking forward to welcoming back” the “experienced and valued” teacher.
However, hundreds of locals have now hit out at the plans.
Petition launched as Fife schools to ‘welcome back’ head teacher
Kendra Mann and Melanie McDermott, who both have children at Wormit Primary School, have launched a petition calling for Mrs Jess’s return to be “stopped”.
The pair say they are speaking out on behalf of a group of more than 25 parents who have come together to raise their concerns.
Kendra said: “We started the petition because we received the email saying the head teacher would be returning to school.
“When we found out about her husband we assumed she would not be coming back and were hoping the teacher in her place would get to stay.
“When we received the email we thought, ‘How can this be? How can she be allowed to come back to her job?’
“We had no words, it was one of these things where you just can’t stop going over it.”
After informing Fife Council that they were launching the petition, the local authority’s education chief wrote back to criticise their campaign.
Education chief says petition brings ‘unnecessary negative publicity’
The email from executive director for education Donald Macleod – seen by The Courier – said: “I don’t share those concerns… and deem them to be grossly unfair to the substantive HT (head teacher) but nevertheless respect your right to both hold them and express them.
“It is hugely regrettable that you have chosen to take this course of action which brings further and unnecessary negative publicity and attention on the school by bringing the council, the education service, the school, and its community into disrepute in this regard.
“There are no winners in such a course of action.
“This will simply mean it becomes even more difficult for us to find a timeous solution to the current set of circumstances.”
The petition has already received over 400 signatures.
Fife Council says petitions must have more than 20 signatures to be considered.
Melanie claims some parents have threatened to pull their children from school if Mrs Jess returns.
She added: “It is concerning that she does not seem to see a problem with standing beside him.”
When contacted by The Courier about the petition, Fife Council said it had nothing to add to its previous statement.
Mr Macleod said previously: “We’re a responsible employer so we won’t comment on the circumstances of individual employees, but we are looking forward to welcoming back our head teacher who is an experienced and valued member of our team.”
Mrs Jess declined to comment when approached by The Courier last week about the parents’ concerns.
She further declined to comment this week regarding the petition.
Sex attacker chose to support wife’s teaching career
Earlier this month Patrick Jess was found guilty of touching female students.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard the former St Andrews Rifle Club coach, who has a history degree, was unsuccessful in finding a profession and instead chose to support his wife’s teaching career.
He said: “I wanted people to believe I was normal and had a normal job. I let people believe something that wasn’t true.
“I didn’t tell my friends and family I was unemployed and a house husband.
“What I wanted to do was teach people. I felt like a failure.”
