[senco-forum] Disdabled teacher wins substantial compensation

From a Disability Rights Commission Newsletter

Thanks David

Interesting background reading on this case, and
implications for schools, are at:

http://www.drc.org.uk/disabilitydebate/about/mystory/storyit
em/index.asp?id=1
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/intouch_20060502.shtml
http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/news/newsx_may_2006_006.htm
http://www.get.hobsons.co.uk/advice/disability_law

Quite damning for a county that claims to be excellent at
inclusion.
Mind you, working with several Notts youngsters, for them
the county's claims for being able to meet their SEN by
"saving" the money by not statementing do seem to be more
rhetoric than reality.
I am not sure whether having one of the lowest statementing
rates in England is the reason for, or the excuse for, also
having one of the lowest levels of SEN expenditure &
provision. What I have seen of Notts teachers is that they
seem to have to work all the harder to compensate for the
resultant shortage of SEN provision, and children with and
without SEN are the losers. 

Rik

-----Original Message-----
From: senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk
[mailto:senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk] On Behalf Of
David Bowles
Sent: 05 June 2006 11:01
To: senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk
Subject: [senco-forum] Disdabled teacher wins substantial
compensation

Good news regarding schools who refuse to amend their
existing working practices to accommodate disabled staff:

>From a Disability Rights Commission Newsletter
----------------------------------------------

Teacher with sight loss receives £196,000 damages

Gaynor Meikle, a secondary school teacher who faced
discrimination at work by Nottinghamshire County Council
because of her sight loss, has received £196,000 in
compensation.

Mrs Meikle took her case to the Court of Appeal in July 2004
and was supported by the DRC. The court ruled that Mrs
Meikle, a teacher with over 30 years experience, was
constructively dismissed and should have received full pay,
not sick pay, when her sight deteriorated. The compensation
follows that landmark legal ruling.

Chris Benson, Senior Legal Officer at the DRC, said: "I hope
Mrs Meikle?s damages will send a warning shot to employers
that it can be extremely costly to break the law. All her
employer needed to do was enlarge the font size of her
teaching materials so that Mrs Meikle could read them. Not
doing so has meant losing a valuable member of staff and a
lengthy and costly legal process."

Gaynor Meikle reacted to her compensation saying: "I hope
that both the legal judgment and the extent of damages I?ve
received will mean that disabled people do not have to face
this kind of blatant discrimination in future."