School discriminated against teacher on religious grounds

A CATHOLIC primary school discriminated against a Church of Ireland teacher when it withdrew an offer of a job, an equality officer has found.

The ruling published by the Equality Tribunal refers to a teaching job which Michelle McKeever was offered by Knocktemple National School in Virginia, Co Cavan, in June 2007. The offer was made in a telephone call from the principal and confirmed in writing by the chair of the school board.

But during a phone call in July, the board chair asked Ms McKeever if she had a certificate to show she was qualified to teach religion in a Catholic school. The teacher said she did not but that she was willing to teach the religious programme in the school, and told the chairperson she was a member of the Church of Ireland.