Dinner lady fights her sacking for telling truth

Carol Hill, 61, of Great Tey, Essex, told a hearing in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, the parents were entitled to hear the facts and should have been told the "truth" by the school's head.

Mrs Hill, who earned 125 a month watching children at lunchtimes and serving meals at Great Tey Primary School, said her sacking left her "very distressed" and had a "devastating impact" on her reputation.

She claims she was unfairly dismissed and that there was no "proper, fair and reasonable" investigation.

She also argues she was not given a correct notice period and is complaining her rights to freedom of expression under European law were infringed.

A three-strong tribunal panel has heard she was suspended following the skipping rope incident in June 2009.

She then told a local newspaper of her suspension and was dismissed in September.

School head Deborah Crabb has told the hearing that by "talking" to a journalist Mrs Hill had bought the school into disrepute and had to be dismissed.

But Mrs Hill said yesterday: "I don't think I have breached confidence at all.

"And if, in my view, there was a breach it was in the interests of the child."

She added: "I don't believe I did anything wrong."

She told how reports of the suspension had appeared a local and national newspapers and she had posted a comment on a newspaper website thanking readers for their support.

Mrs Hill also told the hearing she had also lost a job cleaning at the home of a school governor and was suspended as a volunteer helper at a local scout group as a result of losing her job at the school.

The school disputes her claim for unfair dismissal.

The hearing continues.