14thDecember 2021
At the end of November 2021, Louise Lewis, victimised union rep, received a letter from North Huddersfield Trust School that she had been dismissed! This follows a so-called reintegration meeting which Louise had been expecting to discuss her return to work. Instead Louise had been informed some members of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) had concerns about her coming back to school despite a long disciplinary process concluding that she could and should return.
There was no hearing where Louise could defend herself or put her case and the decision was not made by a panel of Governors but rather one individual who was acting beyond his powers. This is an orchestrated witch-hunt against Louise following a disciplinary process that didn’t go the way the Headteacher and Chair of Governors wanted and who had been seeking her dismissal back in April 2020. In reality, the disciplinary process into Louise’s conduct last academic year was completed and her suspension had been lifted. Louise has been waiting to begin a process of reintegration back into the school.
Immediate pressure needs to be brought to bear on the employer, but also the local Council!
The ‘Defend Louise Lewis’ campaign has once again kicked into action and will be lobbying the Council since the Chair of Governors is a Local Authority appointed governor.
This protest to raise awareness of her case will start at Civic Centre 3 in Huddersfield on Tuesday 14th December at 2pm and will march down to the Town Hall to lobby councillors as they go into a Cabinet meeting.