School to pay out over bully principal [sligochampion.ie]
- Published: 13 October 2011
A COUNTY SLIGO SCHOOL was yesterday (Tuesday) ordered by the Circuit Court to pay €7,500 to a former pupil who was bullied by the principal during his time there.
The Board of Management of St. Paul's NS in Coollooney had been sued by the parents of the boy, who ended up having to be taken from there and transferred to a different school.
During the short settlement hearing, the court heard that the principal - who was also the boy's class teacher when he entered Fourth Class in September 2008 - bullied and humiliated pupils by tearing up homework for even a simple mistake, pulling children's hair, and one occasion, ordering the boy who brought the case to stand up in front of the class and say he was stupid. Judge Michael White was told that the boy was an intellectually gifted pupil who thrived at the school until going into Fourth Class that year. However, his general mood then began to change. He became " dramatically depressed" and lost interest in his hobbies, and was subsequently taken from St. Paul's in February 2009 and moved to another school.
Full Story: www.sligochampion.ie
