Linda Ross, the Dundee teacher who was struck off by the General Teaching Council for Scotland earlier this week, says she was “saddened but not surprised” by the decision.
Mrs Ross, who was sacked by Dundee City Council from her post as deputy head of Longhaugh Primary School in 2008 and is claiming unfair dismissal at an employment tribunal, had hoped the GTCS hearing would be postponed until after the tribunal.
However the hearing went ahead in her absence and the ruling was announced on Wednesday.
Her solicitor John Muir has also questioned the decision to go ahead with the disciplinary hearing before the tribunal has concluded.
Speaking exclusively to The Courier, Mrs Ross (59) said, “I am saddened but not surprised at the outcome of the GTCS hearing. Having read the decision I would question how any truly independent committee could come to the conclusions which the GTCS did but that matter is now history and I must concentrate on clearing my name at the employment tribunal.”
Mrs Ross is banned from working in schools and cannot reapply to teach for a year.
Mr Muir also spoke of his surprise at the announcement, stating that a scheduled appearance by Mrs Ross before the GTCS next week had been postponed until after the conclusion of the tribunal.
“I as Mrs Ross’ agent had requested on numerous occasions that the GTCS hearing be postponed pending the outcome of the employment tribunal which is presently ongoing at Dundee and will not conclude until early June,” he said. “The GTCS refused these requests on the basis that they were dealing with issues which were completely different from that which were in front of the employment tribunal and that any further delay would be prejudicial to a fair hearing.
“I would question whether that is a reasonable or credible position. The complaints which were before the GTCS emanated from Dundee City Council. The complaints were identical to those which led to Mrs Ross’ dismissal.
“The complaint and the evidence relating to them are identical to the issues which are presently being considered by the employment tribunal. Considering that the GTCS were aware that Mrs Ross has been retired as a teacher for several years and considering that they were aware that she had no intention of returning to teaching, I wonder what the public interest was in proceeding with their hearing and why they were so keen to conclude this prior to the outcome of the employment tribunal.
“The matters which they were dealing with occurred in 2008 and it is difficult to see how a further delay of 10 weeks would prejudice the hearing.”
Mrs Ross had been transferred to Longhaugh after being given a final written warning in relation to claims made public by her husband Vic about violence at her previous school, Sidlaw View Primary School.