Mudgee Public School teacher sacked over lockdown protest amid staffing shortage

A Western NSW teacher with more than 18-years serving the Education Department was sacked after attending a peaceful lockdown protest. See the latest here.

The NSW Education Department has been criticised after a veteran Western NSW teacher was sacked for attending a “peaceful, silent protest” against NSW Government Covid lockdowns last year — resulting in her being placed on a do-not-employ list.

The teacher, who has been an educator for more than 18 years, was investigated and fired by the Education Department’s Director of Child Protection after she attended a “peaceful silent protest” against Covid lockdowns at Robertson Park, Mudgee in August last year.

In a letter issued on January 26, the teacher — who did not wish to be named — was informed that her employment as a temporary teacher at Mudgee Public School had been terminated.

NSW Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell is being called on to reverse the decision. Picture: Christian Gilles / NCA NewsWire

“(The teacher) was accompanied by another departmental employee from the same

school,” a letter by Director of Child Protection Sarah Parry said. “The alleged conduct was in contravention of the NSW Public Health Orders and of departmental and school policies.

“(The teacher) has since had her contract at the school terminated.”

The Education Department director claimed the teacher’s conduct “demonstrates a blatant disregard of the NSW Public Health Orders and of departmental policies and procedures”

“I also find (the teacher’s) conduct to be dishonest and deceitful,” Ms Parry said. “The conduct in this context is totally unacceptable to the Department and would meet the threshold

of misconduct if (the teacher) was a permanent employee.”

NSW Upper House MLC Mark Latham at the hearing held at the NSW Parliament. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles

However, Upper House MLC Mark Latham has criticised the department, telling NewsLocal the state government was “sacking people in the middle of a major teacher shortage”.

“Teachers are allowed to participate in their own political activity in their own time,” Mr Latham said. “In fact, they are encouraged to do so.”

Mr Latham said the veteran teacher was working as a cleaner while trying to get tutoring or non-government school work, while calling on Education Minister Sarah Mitchell to reverse the “draconian” decision and issue a public apology.

“(This is) a very bad case of censorship,” he said. “This teacher was protesting against the harsh impact of lockdowns on children and got sacked by a Department Child Protection Officer.”

Education Minister Sarah Mitchell did not respond to questions as to whether she supported the Department’s decision to sack the temporary teacher, or whether she would seek a review of the investigation.

An Education Department spokeswoman said: “an employee of the Department of Education will not be terminated for attending a protest, but may be investigated if there are allegations of misconduct at that event”.

The Department did not disclose why the director of Child Protection conducted the investigation.

The Department of Education’s Code of Conduct says employees have a “right to participate in political and community activities and to pursue personal interests provided they do so in a private capacity and do not allow a conflict of interest to arise with their role in the Department”. 

The teacher received a $1000 fine from NSW Police for breaching a public health order.