A member of staff received a simple caution for non-violent/non-contact harassment. He refutes the charge completely but accepted a caution because he works in a school and was told that any publicity of a trial would be detrimental – not sure it was the right advice! The school were notified of the case and the details pertaining to it in October 2007. The member of staff accepted the caution at the end of January and was suspended on full pay three weeks later. The school cite their concerns for their staff and pupils as the reason for the suspension. The police records department have submitted the details of the caution which clearly does not refer to behaviour involving children or minors. On what basis does the school have the right to use the information supplied by the police in regards to the enhanced criminal disclosure and the fact that the person worked in a school to question the risk to its staff? If the member of staff is reinstated what procedure should the school put in place to facilitate the return considering the length of suspension has been two weeks?
Trudie Masterson