Former teacher wins claim against school

A woman who said she was forced out of her job as a PE teacher has won her case against a Leeds high school.

Christine Johnson said she had been bullied out of her job at Morley High School and there had been a deliberate campaign to force her out. Her claim for breach of contract and negligence was successful although Judge James Spencer said that the school’s actions were not severe enough to be harassment.

Mrs Johnson, who can now seek compensation from the council, also told the court that head teacher John Townsley had written a “spiteful” reference when she was trying to find another job and had said that she had lacked the strength to work as a teacher in secondary comprehensive education.

She had gone on sick leave with stress at the start of 2006 and was dismissed in the September of that year. The judge said that during that time the school had not followed its long-term sickness policy and had not provided Mrs Johnson with adequate support during her time off work. The judge also said that she was being pestered to leave her job, adding: “I am satisfied that when they knew of her stress-related condition they carried out this campaign. This was negligent because they had a duty and they could have made her situation worse.”