Black teacher in England wins discrimination claim against school after colleagues say she ‘instilled fear’ in them when discussing racism
Andrea Mairs had been employed at Kings Road Primary School in Stretford, Manchester, for 20 years when she lost her job because six coworkers said her "relentless complaining" about racial issues in the classroom made them feel "intimidated."
A Black teacher in England has successfully sued her former school for discrimination after colleagues perceived racism.
The Telegraph reported that Andrea Mairs filed a lawsuit against Kings Road Primary School in Stretford, Manchester, and Trafford Council, alleging race discrimination by victimization, unfair dismissal, unauthorized wage deduction, and breach of contract.
Members of the school’s senior leadership team (SLT) filed a collective grievance against Mairs in June 2019, claiming they were “afraid to use the word black” and “concerned about being labeled racist” while she was around.
They vowed to launch a “wild cat strike” if she was allowed to stay at the school.
“They are unable to use the word black, which indicates how uncomfortable they are around their Black colleague,” said Mairs in response. “This again is racial discrimination and more commonly known as blackophobia.”
She had been employed for 20 years when she lost her job because six coworkers said her “relentless complaining” about racial issues in the classroom made them feel “intimidated.”
Since September 2001, when Mairs first joined the school, she complained about nine staff members and reported many instances viewed as “microaggressions,” according to The Telegraph.
In one instance, Mairs took offense at a visiting magician calling students “little monkeys,” resulting in school officials banning any use of the term. They removed art exhibits and library books and forbade children as young as three and four from reciting the “Five Little Monkeys” rhyme.
Recommended Stories
Mairs “raised” an issue with headteacher Darren Morgan over a picture of a Black student in an art exhibit wearing a label that said “blackcurrant,” stating that she felt the label was inappropriate and could be “misconstrued.”
She was also requested to “deal with” a Black parent who specifically wanted to speak with the headteacher about racism at the school.
After almost a year of sick leave, the SLT objected to Mairs’ return to work, claiming she had “instilled fear in colleagues” and made them feel unsafe with her “relentless complaining.”
She lost her job at the school in January 2022 after an investigation panel found that her relationship with the SLT had “irretrievably broken down.”
The panel learned that after filing her monkey complaint, the staff blamed Mairs for the school’s decision to outlaw the word, causing “tension.”
After her departure, parents and former students created a Change.org petition titled “Bring back Miss Mairs,” which garnered 800 signatures from people who said she was “a great teacher and a role model to the diverse children she teaches,” according to The Telegraph.
According to the ruling of Employment Judge Jane Aspinall, Mairs was a long-serving educator who had no disciplinary or poor performance issues before her termination.
“The Tribunal finds that [Ms. Mairs] honestly believed that SLT’s motivation was because they were afraid that if they raised a concern with her she would accuse them of racism,” said Aspinall, The Telegraph reported. “This is what she meant by use of the term ‘blackophobic.'”
Mairs’ compensation will be determined during a subsequent remedy hearing.
Aspinall contended that Mairs honestly believed that if she weren’t Black, SLT would not have lodged a collective grievance without first addressing the issues with the specific teacher. “She believed and believes to this day that was true,” she added.
Never miss a beat: Get our daily stories straight to your inbox with theGrio’s newsletter.
