§ Mr. R. Morganasked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that Mr. J. J. Crossfield, a head teacher, was dismissed by the Dorsetshire education authority, in July last, with three months' salary in lieu of notice; that no explanation was given, nor any opportunity of a hearing; whether the Board have obtained any explanation from the authority of the cause of dismissal under Article 18 of the Code and as to what steps were taken to investigate any complaints concerning this teacher; and what steps the Board propose to take under the Grant Regulations in the interests of efficiency and with regard to the declared principle that an employé in the local government service against whom complaint has been made should not be dismissed without a proper investigation and the opportunity of a hearing?
§ Mr. RamsbothamAccording to my information the facts are substantially as stated in the Question. The termination of the teacher's employment was not on account of misconduct or grave professional default and Article 19 of the Code is not, therefore, applicable. The matter is one of contractual relationship between the authority and the teacher and is outside the purview of my Department.