‘I love my school but I am here today because I would not call a boy a girl’: Teacher who refused to use student’s gender-neutral pronouns condemns ‘insanity’ as he is JAILED in Ireland
- Enoch Burke was arrested yesterday morning for breaching a court order
- The order barred him from teaching or being present at his Westmeath school
- The dispute began over his refusal to address a transitioning student as ‘they’ rather than ‘he’, as requested by the student and their parents in May
- He was later suspended, and refused to stay away from the school
- After the ruling, Mr Burke said: ‘I love my school, with its motto Res Non Verba, actions not words, but I am here today because I said I would not call a boy a girl’
A teacher who refused to use gender-neutral pronouns for a transgender student has been sent to Mountjoy prison for contempt of court.
Enoch Burke was arrested yesterday morning for breaching a court order not to teach at his Westmeath school, or be physically present there.
After Judge Michael Quinn made his ruling, Mr Burke said: ‘It is insanity that I will be led from this courtroom to a place of incarceration, but I will not give up my Christian beliefs.’
Counsel for Wilson’s Hospital School’s board of management said it was with a ‘heavy heart’ that it sought Mr Burke’s committal to prison, but she said her client had been left with no choice as Mr Burke continued to attend the school, despite the court order which it had obtained last week.
The dispute began over his refusal to address a transitioning student as ‘they’ rather than ‘he’, as requested by the student and their parents in May, and agreed to by the Church of Ireland school.
This escalated to his suspension on the day before the start of the autumn term, pending the outcome of a disciplinary process.
He had refused to remain away from the school on paid leave for that suspension, the court heard, and would sit in an empty classroom, declaring that he was there to work.
Teacher Enoch Burke (pictured on Monday being brought into the Bridewell Garda station in Garda custody) was arrested yesterday morning for breaching a court order not to teach at his Westmeath school, or be physically present there
Mr Burke told Judge Quinn: ‘I am a teacher and I don’t want to go to prison. I want to be in my classroom today, that’s where I was this morning when I was arrested.’
He said he loved his students, to whom he teaches German, history and politics, as well as debating.
‘I love my school, with its motto Res Non Verba, actions not words, but I am here today because I said I would not call a boy a girl.’
More @ Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11184043/Teacher-refused-use-students-gender-neutral-pronouns-JAILED-Ireland.html
Teacher who refused to use gender-neutral pronouns JAILED in Ireland https://t.co/zF068jUqjs via @MailOnline
— John 🏴☠️😂🇮🇪 (@JohnLalor18) September 6, 2022
