Victimised teacher awarded €127,000

A TEACHER who was asked if she thought it suitable to have a woman principal in a boys’ school has been awarded €127,000 by an equality officer.

Margaret McGinn had been teaching for 23 years at St Anthony’s Boys National School in Kilcoole, Co Wicklow, when she applied for the principal’s job in 2001. A member of the interview board asked her if it would be a problem to have a woman principal as a role model, considering there were so few men working in education.

Ms McGinn said the chair of the school board, Fr Eamon Clarke, who also chaired the interview board, later told her and colleagues in the staff room that it would not be appropriate to appoint her as principal to an all-boys’ school. She also said she was being victimised.