Gibraltar NASUWT is calling for the Government to conduct a public inquiry following what it sees as ‘failures in existing procedures and policies’ at the Department of Education regarding the serious professional misconduct of a teacher in 2019.

A statement from Gibraltar NASUWT follows below:

On 3 November 2021 Gibraltar NASUWT issued a media statement in response to one from the Government of Gibraltar regarding the findings of an independent report into the inappropriate  conduct of a non-permanent teacher at Westside School and the apparent failures at the  Department of Education in the handling of the incident in 2019. In our statement, the Union  condemned the actions of the teacher who, by abusing her position of trust, brought the teaching  profession into disrepute by her significantly disturbing and wholly unprofessional conduct with a  female student approximately 11 years younger than her.  

The Union has met with the Minister for Education on two occasions to ascertain the extent of the  alleged mismanagement of this grave incident by Senior Management at the Department of  Education and to discuss the way forward. 

Since obtaining a copy of the full report commissioned  by the Government of Gibraltar titled “Miss xxxxxxx: Report by the independent investigation board into her professional conduct whilst employed as a teacher by the Government of Gibraltar  & into the conduct of the Department of Education in investigating safeguarding & other related  concerns raised”; and after carefully considering the evidence that informed its findings, we have  corresponded with the Chief Secretary on two occasions to request that he begin disciplinary  proceedings against Senior Management at the Department of Education for violating standards  of conduct. What was proposed instead, namely an in-depth review/internal investigation is not  acceptable for the Union. The independent report was conducted by a local QC and a senior civil  servant and although it cleared Senior Management of intent, it highlighted grave systemic and  individual failings at the Department of Education. The Union believes that any elements of  alleged misconduct, negligence, recklessness or dereliction of duty highlighted in the independent  report must be addressed accordingly and without further delay. A ‘lessons learned’ approach is  not acceptable regardless of the measures introduced as a result of recommendations made by  the report, especially when children’s safeguarding is at stake.  

Gibraltar NASUWT is aware that the political parties Gibraltar Social Democrats and Together  Gibraltar have also received a copy of the independent report. We call on them to consider the  contents of the report carefully and reach their own conclusions. If their conclusions coincide with  those expressed herein, and seeing as the Chief Secretary has not acceded in taking disciplinary  action despite the overwhelming evidence contained in the report, we urge them to join Gibraltar  NASUWT in calling for the Government to conduct a public inquiry into this whole affair. In  addition, we would like to urge the public at large to join the Union in calling for HMGoG to publish  the full report itself (only omitting the identities of minors and witnesses not under investigation),  as it is in the public interest and was commissioned by the taxpayers themselves.

Finally, we would like to once again applaud the actions of the teaching professionals who  reported the inappropriate conduct of the groomer to Senior Management on many occasions  and who followed all safeguarding procedures in an exemplary fashion at all times. It is a shame  that all teachers get painted with a broad brush whenever bad apples do bad things. This Union  is proud to represent members who act professionally, responsibly, ethically and always in the  interests of their students when serious matters arise. Members who do not shirk their  responsibilities and who speak out even when doing so goes against the institutionalised culture  in Education and some in Senior Management.