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£400,000 for head forced out by Muslim governors in race row
Paul Cheston, Courts Correspondent19 Mar 2009
A Head teacher today won more than £400,000 damages for being forced out of her school after being branded a racist.
Erica Connor, 57, who was head of New Monument School, Woking, where 80 per cent of pupils are Muslim, claimed she had been the victim of a campaign of harassment by some of the school governors who accused her of Islamophobia.
Deputy Judge John Leighton Williams QC at the High Court said education officers had been more concerned about complaints to the Commission for Racial Equality than the health of their head teacher.
He said Surrey County Council was negligent in not stepping in to help Ms Connor before she was forced to retire through ill health in December 2006 following a breakdown.
He ordered the council to pay the damages for her psychiatric injury, to include loss of income and pension, medical expenses and the loss of the career she loved.
Ms Connor, a divorced mother of one, said her troubles started in 2003 when four Muslim governors were appointed to the governing body. They included a convert called Paul Martin, and another man, Mumtaz Saleem.
The four "effectively railroaded" governors' meetings, repeatedly raising issues of religious education, content of assemblies and prayers. They wanted more formal Islamic worship in the school and closer links with the local mosque.
Mr Martin complained repeatedly about the ethos and Ms Connor's management. An investigation acquitted the school of racism or religious bias.
But after that an anonymous petition was circulated among parents, saying that those who signed it "no longer have confidence in Erica Connor to educate our children in a way that respects and values our faith, culture and heritage". Another document accused Ms Connor of "racism and Islamophobia". A second investigation criticised the head and her perceptions of multiculturalism. In September 2005, she went on sick leave for a depressive illness.
Outside court, Ms Connor said: "I finally feel vindicated in terms of the accusations of racism and Islamophobia against myself. I believe in equal opportunity. Every child has the right to achieve to their full potential, in an environment that celebrates diversity and respects the beliefs and culture of each individual."
The post traumatic stress disorder she suffered during her ordeal means she can no longer work again as a teacher. Ms Connor, who originally lived in Esher but has since moved to Wales, became head teacher in 1998 after four years as deputy head.
During her time as head until 2002 the Sats results "improved very considerably", said the judge. "She ran a happy and successful school where there were no real problems until 2003."
In his ruling, the judge said the council ignored her "health and welfare" because it was clear they were concerned about the reference to racism, and feared Mr Martin could complain to the CRE.
He described Ms Connor as "a most honest witness" and a "successful headmistress". But from 2003 the council failed to keep the activities of Mr Martin and Mr Saleem in check.
Reader views (26)
Erica Connor has now retired to wales on a full pension and £400,000, I wish her all the best, but what of the Governors who still sit on the board? school children can be expelled for bad behavior so why not the governors for their appalling behavior that forced Erica Connor out, this is only half justice, if these trouble makers are allowed to stay the school children become the new victims.
- Henry, London, 20/03/2009 11:08
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These sort of behavior is intolerable.
- Anon, Middx, London, 20/03/2009 06:13
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Good verdict. Too bad the 'offended' aren't made to pay it themselves.
- Trunk, US, 19/03/2009 21:46
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A thoroughly deserved & excellent outcome. The real victims in this are, of course, the children who have been deprived for the last 6 yrs of the chance to be taught and led by someone with enough talent to succeed in such a difficult role for many years. I am in absolutely no doubt that the governor's responsible for this case could have shed even the slightest positive influence over a child's education.
Teacher's and governors with any less talent would never have been seen as a threat & been gunned down by such dirty & well disguised tactics. God-forbid that anyone with a true sense of identity & determination to do a job well should be given the chance to pass this on the offspring of the accusers in this case. Let's hope the verdict prevents any future teachers with similar talent being put off from the job!
- Anon, Kingston, 19/03/2009 19:09
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Thank you Surrey Council for my 4.4% increase in my Council Tax, which I can ill afford. You no doubt need it to fund this claim and many others on the way.
The head teacher deserves every penny, but I do not deserve to be paying it.
Get your house in order, sack the Governors and make sure this does not happen again.
- Roger, Surrey, 19/03/2009 18:46
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So the fact they have awarded compensation means they have admitted guilt - and the education system has lost an experienced headteacher.
- Tony, cambridge UK, 19/03/2009 18:25
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Absolutely agree Bandora. Religion has no place in the state school sysytem. Home and family are the place.
- Julia, london, 19/03/2009 18:03
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I fear this is another example of people seeking to influence education into their own narrow faiths. Part of a child's education is to hear about the various faiths that have been part of our different histories but brain washing is not what education is about. I am glad a victim of apparent bigotry has received at least some recompence but better she was still doing what is one of the most honourable jobs.
- Anthony Perry, London, 19/03/2009 18:01
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You don't mention whether the council intend to remove the governors responsible. Should I guess? This is a ridiculous situation and all too common. Accusations by pupils and parents against teachers are presumed to be true. Where is the respect for the people in positions of trust? Teachers are definitely not doing it for the money and most believe their's to be a noble profession so let's treat them the way they deserve to be treated.
- Mark, London, 19/03/2009 17:45
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Once again symbolic of our misguided and gutless institutions who have clearly failed a talented lady. Lets hope she enjoys her retirement. Many more will leave the UK as I did, until a significant lurch to the right forces the Government to address this situation
- Laurence Floyd, London and North Cyprus, 19/03/2009 16:38
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So the powers-that-be were out of touch. When will the leaders of this Country wake up to what is going on? It seems to be a counter democratic war!
My sympathy to Erica Connor, must be a relief to be well out of it. A brave woman to put up with it in the first place.
- Tony Islander, Herts, 19/03/2009 16:36
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religion, of any faith, has no place in school whatsoever. the sooner schools become secular environments dedicated to learning and educating, the better. it is up to parents to instill spiritual values in the home, and through their place of worship.
- Bandora Etorg, london, 19/03/2009 16:34
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If the Governors are not doing their job correctly has the school now been taken over by the Government? If not, why not?
- Joe, Thornton Heath, UK, 19/03/2009 16:31
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Erica Cononr, came to a multi racial school in Hackney where I was headteacher in the 1970`s. She was a gifted and charismatic teacher of the first rank. Anyone who worked with her then or since would find the loss of this teacher to the profession with sadness, and her treatment as shameful. I agree with every thing the judge is reported as having said
- Brian D Gable, Darlingtin Co.Durham, 19/03/2009 16:08
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These 4 Muslim governors should be ashamed of themselves for hi-jacking meetings and hounding this Head out. Fanatical Muslims give the honest ordinary Muslim a bad name.
- Dhanraj, basildon, 19/03/2009 15:57
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Good Luck; Erica Connor; you are better off out of that school, with its vindictive and prejudiced religious governors; not to mention the impotent and gutlessness of Surrey County Council.
Walk away lady; and let them get on with it; this is the way of the future; in the UK.
Enjoy your retirement; you have done your best etc.
- Mickyinlondon, london, 19/03/2009 15:56
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Good for her, and of course there will now be a formal investigation of the governors concerned for Religious Intolerance will there not?
- Bob, Cheam, 19/03/2009 15:49
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Sylvia, it happens in the United States too. Sounds to me like we should form a coalition of people who still have a sense of reality to get our countries' schools and social common sense back in order. I totally agree with you, but want you to know that you're not alone.
- Kim, Seattle, WA USA, 19/03/2009 15:47
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what we will see in all schools and colleges accross the country in 10/15 years time? a lot more of this and a lot worse.
- Mark Armstrong, london. uk, 19/03/2009 15:38
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Why Should Surrey County Council tax payers pay this? It should come out of the pockets of these governors.
- Fred, Horsham, 19/03/2009 15:21
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So what is happening to the Governors who forced this woman out? Are the LEA going to take steps to remove them. Who are the racists here?
- M D, cardiff UK, 19/03/2009 15:14
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as a school governor for many years you do have some governors not governing for the benefit of the pupil's but for their own private agenda, and unless you have a strong full broad of governors this can happen anywhere in the county.
- Barry Arnold, Chelsmford Essex , UK., 19/03/2009 15:14
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More like a case of Englishaphobia then really wasn't it? Good for her hope she enjoys the money makes a change for it to happen this way around doesn't it?
- Lin, london England, 19/03/2009 15:06
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Religion has no place in schools except in for RE lessons which cover all religions. Religion causes division - children should be protected from this at school and any religious values provided by their parents at home.
- Anon, London, 19/03/2009 15:00
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If we don't start to find some backbone our country is finished. It's easier to let them get away with it, than have all the hassle of constantly going through the courts because of hurt feeling and all the other rubbish they come up with. Can't anyone out there see what is going on? Any other country would never put up with this. This is not the country we fought for in two world wars. We have been taken over already.
- Sylvia, Epping Essex, 19/03/2009 15:00
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so can we now expect both the Education Officers and these 4 School governors to resign their posts? After all, by their disgraceful actions they've not only ruined the career of what the Judge called a "successful headmistress", but they've also cost the Council Tax payers of Surrey £400,000. What's the betting they don't resign - the people who engage in such activites never seem to have a conscience.
- Malcolm, London, 19/03/2009 14:36
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