Teacher Enoch Burke has been dismissed from his position as a teacher at Wilson’s Hospital School.
A statement issued through one of his brothers said that Mr Burke had attended the school today and was informed at 3.30pm in the presence of the Chairperson of the Board of Management John Rogers, and Principal Frank Milling that he had been dismissed.
Mr Burke said the decision had been taken after what he described as the “purported” meeting of the Board of Management from which Mr Rogers was absent.
A disciplinary hearing involving Mr Burke took place yesterday in the Mullingar Park Hotel, in relation to alleged gross misconduct at the school. The meeting, which was attended by Mr Burke and members of his family descended into chaos.
Gardai were called to the meeting after Mr Burke and members of his family loudly objected to the presence of two lawyers and the absence of the board’s chairman.
Members of the Burke family this morning pic.twitter.com/QFoi22p19N
— Shane Phelan (@shanephelanindo) January 19, 2023
Mr Burke was jailed in early September after breaching the high court injunction directing him to stay away from the school.
He had been suspended as part of a disciplinary process, following a row over a request from a student to be addressed by a new name and for “they/them” pronouns to be used. He said that to do so would violate his religious beliefs.
Mr Burke is entitled to appeal the outcome of the hearing within 10 working days.
