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04 January 2010Ex-teacher’s solicitor claims intimidation
DUNDEE CITY Council is using an “intimidation tactic” against former teacher Linda Ross in seeking a police inquiry into a medical certificate, an employment tribunal in the city was told.
Solicitor John Muir—who has taken over Mrs Ross’s case following the withdrawal of her previous legal representative Donald Pirie—said the council had got hold of information that should have remained confidential from both legal and medical perspectives and which had given the local authority an unfair advantage.
The matter, surrounding a medical certificate that had allegedly been altered, was now expected to go to the police, although Mr Muir emphasised that there was “not a whiff” of any impropriety in Mrs Ross’s actions and the allegation, he predicted from his experience as a criminal lawyer, would be dismissed by the police in “10 seconds.”
He told employment judge Alexander Bolland QC, “This is clearly designed to intimidate Mrs Ross.”
Mr Muir was critical of events leading up to the council’s decision to pass the medical certificate to the police and added, “In 25 years I have never known anything like it."
13 February 2009Sacked teacher appeal thrown out
A depute head at the centre of a row about violence in schools has lost her fight to get her job back.
Linda Ross was suspended from Sidlaw View, Dundee, in September 2007 after her husband, Vic, raised concerns about attacks in the classroom.
She was then moved to the city's Longhaugh Primary but was suspended again and then sacked.
The rejection of the appeal against the dismissal was announced on a website Mr Ross created to highlight her case.
A council spokesman confirmed the appeal had been thrown out.
04 February 2009Panel reject appeal by teacher
By Graham Huband
THE CAREER of sacked Dundee teacher Linda Ross lay in tatters yesterday after she lost her appeal against dismissal.
However, the former deputy head at Longhaugh Primary School was unbowed and said she would fight to clear her name.
A panel headed by Lord Provost John Letford in Dundee yesterday refused to overturn her sacking following a two-day appeal hearing.
Her problems stem back to 2007 when her husband Vic—who was at her side yesterday—blew the whistle on allegations of violence at Sidlaw View Primary where his wife then worked.
Mrs Ross was suspended by Dundee City Council’s education department but the claims caused a public outcry and an independent panel was set up to probe the issue.
The allegations were found to be “exaggerated” and Mrs Ross’s career lay in the balance for some time before it was agreed she should return to work.
It was not deemed appropriate for Mrs Ross to rejoin Sidlaw View so she was placed at Longhaugh, where she took up the deputy head post.
However, the Sidlaw View furore had barely died down when Mrs Ross was suspended again in June last year.
Relations between the Rosses and the education department broke down and she was fired for gross misconduct.
Her appeal—chaired by the lord provost sitting with councillors Derek Scott and Liz Fordyce—against her dismissal began on Monday and was concluded yesterday.
Among the evidence during the appeal were allegations Mrs Ross had assaulted two children in her care—charges she dismissed as being unsubstantiated.
Public statements made by Mr Ross in the press and on a website set up to defend his wife were also scrutinised.
In total seven witness were called to the hearing by the management side while Mrs Ross gave evidence in her own defence and did her own summing up. Human resources manager Janet Robertson performed the same function in return.
Following the verdict Mrs Ross said she was determined to fight on and her husband said the couple would continue to be a “bee in the bonnet” for the council.
Speaking to The Courier last night Mrs Ross said, “I have done nothing wrong—they are punishing me to make an example of me and to keep other teachers quiet.
“I am being punished not because I said something but because my husband said something. I don’t know why they are so afraid of teachers being able to speak out.”
Mr Ross said, “We will continue the pressure on the council through the world wide web and the media and do whatever we can (to clear Mrs Ross’s name). We will never stop.
“The visitors to the website are increasing and last night hits went through the roof. There are a lot of people watching this and they are not just in Dundee.
“The public are on Linda’s side and they will be angry at the outcome—there are going to be more and bigger rallies.”
An education department spokesman released a short statement confirming the verdict last night.
He said, “The appeal was dismissed. We do not normally comment on personnel issues.”
The case will be referred to the General Teaching Council for Scotland, which can remove Mrs Ross from the teaching register.
