A Trinidadian teacher at a Secondary School who was groped on her buttocks by a student ended up being suspended for two years in 2014.
She was accused of assaulting the student.
The teacher has been granted leave by the High Court to file judicial review proceedings against the Teaching Service Commission and the Office of the Attorney General.
The woman was granted permission on Thursday by Justice Ricky Rahim to file the proceedings based on the “unjustified suspension” as well as the delay of the Commission to prosecute the matter within the two-year-period.
She is arguing that bshe has lost the opportunity to be promoted to the position of a category 111 Teacher and as a result has lost the chance of getting a salary increase.
“This entire ordeal has been very stressful, humiliating and depressing to me. The fact that I was suspended for this incident is a stain on my professional career that will not and cannot be removed. No matter if I am found not guilty of these charges it cannot provide any vindication for the damage to my reputation that I have suffered over this matter,” she stated in her affidavit.
The teacher stated that on September 23, 2014, during a recess in the morning period, she was standing along one of the corridors having a conversation with two of her Form Three students about their career goals after they completed secondary school. While doing so, a student from another class whom she did not know, passed behind her and grabbed her buttocks.
The teacher said she later found out who the student was and confronted him in his classroom and asked him why he grabbed her behind. She said the boy attempted to walk off but she then grabbed him by the shirt and continued to question him on why he carried out the act.
The woman said on September 25, she made a report to the Police.
In April of 2015, the teacher said she received a letter from the Commission stating that the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education had made a report to the Commission that she had assaulted the boy.
