Boy suspended from school for breaking wind
Deirdre Ring said her son, Dane, was suspended by the principal of the VEC school in Co Cork.
“He was in his class and the teacher hadn’t turned up. The principal came round and when he came in he asked what the foul smell was,” Ms Ring said.
Ms Ring, who lives in Sarsfield’s Terrace, Youghal, said her son owned up and was then told he was to be suspended for two days.
Dane was suspended on Tuesday of last week and again on the Thursday because the intervening day was a church holiday.
“I was very mad at the time. It was humiliating for him in front of his classmates. I was just gobsmacked at what happened,” Ms Ring said.
She said her son had been a pupil at the local Coláiste Eoin for the past four months and he had never been in trouble there or when he attended primary school at Scoil Chorán.
Dane’s aunt, Kitty, went on 96FM’s Neil Prendeville show yesterday to complain about her nephew’s suspension.
A Department of Education spokeswoman said disciplinary matters were entirely up to the board of management at schools. “People, however, have the right to make complaints to the VEC if they so wish,” the spokeswoman said.
Colaiste Eoin was contacted about the incident yesterday but principal John Bresnihan was not available for comment.
The Mayor of Youghal, Cllr Ollie Casey, who is a representative on Cork County VEC, said he was surprised at what had happened.
“I hold Mr Bresnihan in the highest regard. I find it quite odd,” Mayor Casey said.
He said he was in London but would like to hear what happened “from both sides” when he returned.
