A dismissed primary teacher who allegedly asked pupils to do a project on a serial killer told an Employment Appeals Tribunal yesterday he would like to return to work in his former school. Mr Gerard Moore, who was dismissed from Holy Child National School, Naas, Co Kildare, in August 1999, previously told the tribunal he would like to be compensated if his claim for unfair dismissal against the school's board of management was successful.
There were two prominent incidents behind the decision to dismiss Mr Moore, the school's principal, Ms Patricia Kennelly, previously told the tribunal. She said the first was when Mr Moore took more than 30 pupils to Fort Lucan Adventure Park without telling the school authorities. She also claimed he asked pupils to do a project on American serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer on sheets decorated with drops of blood, and got them to write essays about decapitated bodies.
Earlier yesterday, the tribunal heard evidence from Mgr Brendan Byrne, who chaired a delegation appointed by the Bishop of Kildare, Dr Laurence Ryan, to hear Mr Moore's defence against his dismissal. The school's board of management would seek the sanction of the bishop before a teacher could be dismissed, the tribunal was told. This was challenged by Mr Moore and his father, Timothy, who is representing him before the tribunal. They contended that in the case of a teacher the decision of the Minister of Education was required. In its report to the bishop, the delegation recommended that Mr Moore should not be dismissed, but another route be chosen, such as a career break or some sort of disability allowance. After meeting Mr Moore on March 19th, 1999, and hearing his defence, Mgr Byrne said Mr Moore was suffering from stress. He also said Mr Moore was unable to recognise his culpability or the seriousness of the matter. The delegation tried to "take the human approach" in the matter, said Mgr Byrne, because dismissal would mean an end to Mr Moore's teaching career.
Later, Mr Moore, of Lakeside Park, Naas, said the cause of his stress was his suspension, not classroom worries. The situation of not knowing if he would get his job back or whether he would be able to work again caused him to become stressed and he subsequently sought counselling.
The tribunal also heard Mr Moore justify his decision not to open letters from the school's board of management inviting him to disciplinary hearings. He said he also did not open the letter informing him of his suspension in January 1999 which was the reason he arrived for work the following day.
After he was dismissed, Mr Moore said it was impossible for him to get other work as a teacher because he had no reference. His attempts to find work in other areas, which included an application for a post as a security-van driver, were impossible to obtain, again because of his lack of a reference.
He eventually found work as a school-bus driver for two hours a day, a job in which he sometimes dropped off and collected students from his former school.
Since then he has worked as the driver of a heavy vehicle, a job obtained with the help of a friend, he told the tribunal. He said this job did not have a secure future, which was causing him additional stress.
The hearing continues today.