Headteacher at top school faces bullying claim
Published Date: 02 July 2010
By SHAN ROSS
AN employee at one of Scotland's most exclusive private schools has claimed she suffered a miscarriage after being bullied by the headmaster, a tribunal has heard. Fiona Gordon is suing Loretto School in East Lothian over alleged sex discrimination after she claims she was targeted for taking maternity leave. Mrs Gordon, 41, claims head teacher Peter Hogan started bullying her after she told the £8,700-per-term school that she was pregnant. Mrs Gordon had held the post of director of admissions at the school for nine years. he claims that two weeks before she returned to work from maternity leave she received a letter making her redundant which stated she could reapply for other jobs which were available but at a lower salary. Yesterday, she told an employment tribunal in Edinburgh that she was informed of changes to her employment just one month before she was due to give birth. And she claimed that she miscarried a different pregnancy because of the stress of the job when she returned from maternity leave. She told the panel: "When I was eight months' pregnant I was told alterations would be being made to my terms and conditions at work, and to the department.
"When I returned to work in January this year decisions had been made during that time which in effect meant I had been demoted. I believe the changes would not have been made if I were not pregnant at the time, and taking maternity leave." Mrs Gordon went on to described the effect that the miscarriage had on her, leading to sick leave between February and March this year. Her voice broke as she told the tribunal: "My husband and I were pregnant with another baby but subsequently lost it which I believe was due to the stress of this situation." She added: "I have been very ill and have had to receive counselling after we lost our baby."
A spokesman from the school said last night: "Loretto will play a full and supportive role throughout the employment tribunal proceedings and will defend the school's position on any issues raised during the process."
There are five charges in total - all relating to sex discrimination - for which evidence will be given over the next six days as the hearing continues.
Mr Hogan, who took up his post at Loretto at the end of 2008, was previously warden - a position equivalent to headmaster - at Llandovery College, one of the most prestigious private schools in Wales. He has forged formal links with Edinburgh Napier University, believed to be the first scheme of its kind in Scotland in which pupils will attend business lectures at the university next year as part of a scheme to give senior school students an advantage in the battle for a university place. Historic seat of learning with a long list of famous alumni LORETTO school in Musselburgh, East Lothian, Scotland's oldest boarding school, was founded in 1827 by the Reverend Thomas Langhorne. Famous pupils include politicians Alistair Darling, the former Labour Chancellor, Fergus Ewing, the SNP MSP and Norman Lamont, the former Conservative Chancellor. Sporting heroes who studied at the school include international rugby player Paul Clauss, Jim Clark the two-time formula one World Champion, and AGG Asler, international cricket and rugby player. Other high-achieving former pupils include Hew Lorimer, sculptor and Andrew Marr, journalist and writer,
The School is made up of two parts - the junior school ("The Nippers") for children aged three to 12 and the senior school for those aged 12 and over. In 1981, girls joined the sixth form and in 1995 the third form, making the school fully co-educational in 1997. Its historic campus includes the famous Pinkie House as well as a 300 seat theatre and 600 seat Chapel. Pupils attend as boarders, flexi-boarders and day pupils. specific house.
Head 'was reassuring pregnant colleague'
Date: 07 July 2010
A HEADTEACHER accused of bullying his pregnant colleague was trying to be reassuring to her when he said his wife had been made redundant for taking maternity leave, it was claimed yesterday. Peter Hogan, 48, head teacher of private school Loretto, is being investigated at an employment tribunal after admissions director Fiona Gordon lodged a complaint about his behaviour after she announced her pregnancy.
Mrs Gordon, 41, from Edinburgh, claims she was faced with sex discrimination after telling her boss she would need time off to have her baby.
Ailsa Carmichael, representing on behalf of the £8,700-a-term school, said Mr Hogan elaborated on the statement in which he allegedly told Mrs Gordon "that will not happen here". Ms Carmichael said: "Mr Hogan continued to inform you that he was not annoyed by your pregnancy, in fact, what he actually told you was: 'don't worry that will not happen here - children are we teachers' livelihood." The hearing continues.
Loretto school admission director wins sex discrimination
Published Date: 09 July 2010
AN admissions director at a top boarding school, Loretto, has won £8,000 after suing the school over alleged sex discrimination. Fiona Gordon, 41, took the East Lothian private school to an employment tribunal in Edinburgh because she felt she had been treated unfavourably following the announcement of her pregnancy. She said head teacher Peter Hogan, 49, had threatened her with redundancy when she told him she would be going on maternity leave. When she returned to the job she said it had been made redundant as the department was in the midst of being restructured. She was offered a more junior post, which also meant a drop in salary.
The tribunal awarded Mrs Gordon £3,000 for loss of earnings, after her return to work was delayed while the department was being reshuffled. She was also awarded a further £5,000 for 'injury to feelings', as she claims the stress of the situation caused her to lose another baby. Mrs Gordon had been looking for £19,000, a large proportion which was to cover her legal fees.
Mr Hogan joined the school as head teacher in August 2008, and told the tribunal earlier in the week that he had planned to review every department in the school from the first day he got there. He said: "I had been planning for a while to review the way in which each department was staffed. "I was restructuring the department, yes, but that did not mean Mrs Gordon would be out of a job." After hearing evidence from other employees at the £8,700-a-term school, lawyer Ailsa Carmichael made her closing statement in which she argued that there had been no sinister reason behind Mrs Gordon's department being re-structured. She said: "We have heard from a number of witnesses who worked at the school during the review period and they all agree it was going to happen long before Mrs Gordon went off on maternity leave."
Employment judge Stewart Watt agreed and said he could see the school was due to re-organise for a long time before Mrs Gordon left, but the school had breached maternity regulations by hindering her as she tried to resume her previous job under the same conditions. He said it was best for everybody to sort the issues out so everyone knows where they stand, as they are still in an employment relationship. He said: "Mrs Gordon clearly loves her job and seems to be highly regarded by her employers. "There appears to be have been no ulterior motive to make Mrs Gordon redundant during the review of the department, the only motive was to try and better organise the school. "However, maternity law states that the claimant should have been allowed to return to her job under the same terms and conditions as before she left, and it is our opinion that the school was in breach of this for a period."
Mrs Gordon, whose daughter is now 18 months old, did not wish to comment on the result as she is still an employee at the school, but appeared visibly disappointed as she bolted out of the hearing with her husband Iain, 50.
A Loretto School spokesman said: "The tribunal judge was clear in his findings that the school at no point acted with an ulterior or blameworthy motive and that the breach of maternity leave regulations was quickly corrected.
"Mrs Gordon has now returned to the school and we are all focusing on preparations for the new academic year."
Loretto School was founded in 1827, and with around 530 pupils in total, it is set across two campuses in Musselburgh. The junior school takes children from ages 3 to 12, before they move up to the senior school until age 18.
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