A TEACHER who was branded “Islamophobic” has been sacked after saying Lucy Connolly’s prison sentence was “two-tier policing”.
Simon Pearson taught English to foreign language students at Preston College in Lancashire.
Not known, clear with picture deskLucy Connolly, 41, was sent to prison for 31 months in October after being found guilty of inciting racial hatred[/caption]
Not known, clear with picture deskHer tweet was viewed more than 300,000 times before she deleted it[/caption]
PAShe will go free from HMP Peterborough in August having served 40 per cent of her term, The Sun understands[/caption]
The 56-year-old was removed following an internal investigation after posting about Connolly – who was handed a 31-month sentence for inciting racial hatred in a social media post following last year’s Southport riots.
Simon described Connolly’s post as “obviously wrong” but went on to say her imprisonment was “two tier policy from the top down”.
He was dismissed after a complaint from a Muslim rep of the NEU accused him of being “Islamophobic” and “racially discriminatory”.
The teacher said he apologised and claimed to have provided evidence of his support for both Muslim students and asylum seekers.
But it was found that the posts were a violation of the college’s policies, damaging of professional relationships and likely to bring the college’s reputation into disrepute.
Simon has now started legal action, which has been filed at an employment tribunal, with claims of wrongful dismissal, unfair dismissal, harassment, and discrimination under the Equality Act 2010.
He told The Telegraph: “I am appalled by the way I’ve been treated. I’ve dedicated my life to education and to supporting students from all walks of life.
“Yet as soon as I was branded ‘Islamophobic’ for expressing concern about violent crime, I became a marked man.
“It was clear that I had to be found guilty by the college, it became a witch hunt, and I had to be eliminated no matter what.”
Lucy Connolly, 41, was sent to prison for 31 months in October after being found guilty of inciting racial hatred.
She will go free from HMP Peterborough in August having served 40 per cent of her term, The Sun understands.
Her tweet, which was viewed more than 300,000 times before she deleted it, said: “Mass deportation now, set fire to all the f* hotels full of the b** for all I care… if that makes me racist so be it.”
It had been prompted by false rumours that the suspect behind the murder of three girls at a dance class in Southport was an illegal immigrant.
Connolly, from Northampton, the wife of a former Tory councillor, lost an appeal to reduce her sentence in May.
Nigel Farage has previously called for her release and called her jail term “absolutely excessive”.
But Sir Keir Starmer has defended the sentence, saying he would “always support” the UK court system.
A spokesperson for the NEU said: “The management of Preston College reached a decision to dismiss the teacher following disciplinary procedures.
“The NEU was not directly involved in these processes and it will be for the Employment Tribunal to consider the fairness of the dismissal if and when the claim reaches a hearing.”
Simon Pearson taught English to foreign language students at Preston College in Lancashire Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
