A TEACHER whose husband alleged pupils at her primary school were attacking staff has been suspended for a second time.
Linda Ross was transferred from Sidlaw View Primary in Dundee to Longhaugh after the claims of violence from pupils.
A sheriff has banned her husband, Vic Ross, from contacting the headteacher at Longhaugh.
Mr Ross yesterday accused Dundee City
Council of "victimisation".
It is the second time in the space of a few months that Mrs Ross has been suspended from her post as depute head of a Dundee primary school.
In September, she came under investigation from disciplinary panels after her husband went public with claims that pupils at Sidlaw View Primary School physically and verbally attacked staff every day.
An independent inquiry agreed there was some substance to some of the claims, but concluded others were exaggerated.
The council offered her a deal where she could keep her job if she transferred to Longhaugh school. She also signed a confidentiality agreement, according to her husband.
In a statement issued last night, Mr Ross claimed his wife arrived home from work in an emotional state on Tuesday evening.
He added: "Linda refused to disclose to me details of the incident, due to a council privacy agreement she had signed. Because she arrived home very upset, I decided to phone the headteacher, Gerry Munro, to enlighten me regarding (what had happened]. It took repeated attempts from me to make contact with him, only to have the phone slammed down on me on three separate occasions.
"I was angry at his refusal to speak, and his refusal to explain why my wife had returned home from work distressed.
"Eventually Mr Munro assured me he would make arrangements for an appointment with him the next day, as he didn't have his diary. He failed to contact me the next day, as promised.
"I made no other contact with Gerry Munro since the events of Tuesday evening. On Thursday afternoon, I was served with the interim interdict."
Mr Ross added: "By bringing the court actions, Dundee City Council have made it very clear they have deliberately set out to discredit both of us."
Earlier yesterday, a spokesman for Dundee City Council said it did not comment on individual personnel issues and would not explain why Mrs Ross was suspended or her husband banned from contacting the headteacher.
The spokesman said: "Dundee City Council was yesterday granted interim interdict at Dundee Sheriff Court in order to protect a member of staff.
"The interdict prevents Mr Victor Ross of Carnoustie from approaching, speaking to or communicating in any way (whether by telephone, writing, by electronic communication or otherwise) with Gerard Munro, headteacher, Longhaugh Primary School, Fintry Terrace, Dundee.
"Yesterday the city council also suspended Mrs Linda Ross, depute headteacher at Longhaugh Primary School, to enable an investigation to be undertaken.
"Mrs Ross's conduct was the subject of an independent investigation late last year, and following that she was transferred to Longhaugh Primary School.
"Further issues arising at the new school have led to the current suspension to enable another investigation to be undertaken."
No-one at Dundee City Council was available last night to comment about the statement from Mr Ross.
A spokesman for Tayside Police said he was not aware of any incidents at the school.
BACKGROUNDLAST September Victor Ross contacted the media, claiming teachers at Sidlaw View Primary School were bitten, struck on the head, kicked, spat on and "threatened with sharp objects" on a daily basis.
His wife Linda was suspended from her post of depute head at Sidlaw and Dundee City Council launched an investigation.
An independent inquiry agreed there was some substance to some of the claims, but concluded others were exaggerated.
A report, published in December, said Sidlaw View's 36 reports of abuse over a school year of some 40 weeks – almost one a week – are similar to other primaries.
The full article contains 666 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
