Head Teacher Awarded £100,000 as Compensation after being Sacked for Tapping her Child with Two Fingers

The controversy arose when Malabver-Goulbourne used two fingers to get her son's attention and prevent him from playing with the hand gel in her office.

Head Teacher Awarded £100,000 as Compensation after being Sacked for Tapping her Child with Two Fingers

Shelly-Ann Malabver-Goulbourne, a primary school head teacher in London, has been awarded over 100,000 Euros in compensation after being unfairly dismissed for an incident involving her three-year-old son and a bottle of hand sanitizer.

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The controversy arose when Malabver-Goulbourne used two fingers to get her son's attention and prevent him from playing with the hand gel in her office. The school's safeguarding official witnessed the interaction and filed a complaint, leading to the head teacher's suspension and police involvement.

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An employment Judge ruled that the dismissal was unjust, emphasizing that the tap on the child's hand constituted unnessary physical contact, which was considered an assault and a breach of policies and statutory guidance. 

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However, the Judge also acknowledged that the school's code of conduct does not totally prohibit all physical contact between pupils and teachers, recognising the chalkenges of educators who are also parents.

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As a result, Shelly-Ann Malabver-Goulbourne will receive £102,328 in compensation, highlighting the importance of fair treatment and clear guidelines in educational settings.