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.
Zita Ezechi 
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.
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.
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.
