Teacher quite job because of autistic child…
November 10th, 2008 | 
Author: Teacher ‘left in tears’ after pupil’s attacks
She is suing council over alleged failures to protect her from 13-year-old
By Jane Candlish
Published: 30/10/2008
SAFETY FEARS: Teresa McCarthy leaves Inverness Sheriff Court after giving evidence at her civil hearing
More Pictures
AN INVERNESS teacher said she was left in tears and hiding in her school’s staff room following the last of four violent attacks by a pupil.
Teresa McCarthy, 51, quit her job at Drummond School in Inverness because of stress and depression following the assaults by a 13-year-old boy, who is autistic.
Mrs McCarthy claims that her former employers, Highland Council, failed to protect her, and is suing the local authority for £250,000 in damages and compensation.
She gave evidence for a second day at a civil hearing at Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday.
She told the court that she was first attacked in June 2001, with three more incidents following in August and September.
The boy, who was aggressive towards other staff and pupils, punched her and pulled her hair, leaving scratches on her face.
Mrs McCarthy said that, after the third attack, senior staff at the school, which caters for children with special needs, consulted educational psychologists for advice on how to deal with the pupil’s aggression.
And what must the poor boy be going through to have got to this stage!
Popularity: 22% [?]
