‘Winking’ head suspended 28 over online post
Principal led anti-bullying campaign
A HEADMASTER accused of harassing a younger teacher was previously involved in a Facebook controversy that resulted in the suspension of 28 students, the Irish Mail on Sunday has learned.
Noel Malone, 51, took his employers to the High Court this week in a bid to overturn his suspension from Limerick’s Coláiste Chiaráin over claims he harassed a part-time male teacher with ‘unwanted attention’.
The married father of four was suspended in July 2014 and banned from entering the secondary school he ran for 15 years. He was also told not to contact staff.
The younger teacher – who has not been named in the media to protect his anonymity – is understood to be in his mid-20s.
Mr Malone now insists he is the victim of ‘ an agenda to remove me from my position as principal’.
In March 2013, he ‘ categorically’ denied being the subject of a reportedly ‘distasteful’ Facebook post that 28 pupils were suspended for ‘liking’.
The post concerned comments about the private life of a member of staff.
At that time, Mr Malone told RTÉ Radio that the online post amounted to ‘a very strong form of bullying’.
However, he told the Limerick Leader: ‘I wasn’t the victim in this particular case.’
There was further drama in February 2014, over an industrial relations dispute con- cerning certain management practices at Coláiste Chiaráin.
In July 2014, Mr Malone was suspended after being accused of ‘ smiling and winking’ at a younger teacher during a school awards ceremony. His accuser claimed Mr Malone had ‘spent the whole night staring in my direction’ and that this sent a ‘shiver down my spine’.
At this week’s hearing, Mr Malone insisted there is video evidence to disprove the ‘smiling and winking’ claim.
Three other incidents alleged by the same teacher to have taken place in 2012 and 2013, were not detailed in court having been lodged after a sixmonth time limit expired.
Mr Malone insists the claims are ‘ baseless, false and malicious’ and said he wants to ‘clear my name and go back to work’.
The court also heard that Mr Malone had complained that ‘favouritism’ was shown to the younger teacher when his contract was renewed in 2014.
However school board bosses insist ‘no favouritism was shown’.
Hearings in the case have concluded and Judge Paul McDermott will give his decision at a later date.
‘Claims are baseless, false and malicious’