Slap-case teacher not unfairly dismissed

Steph Crossley, 57, of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, was fired from Kirklees College, in after she struck 20-year-old Sabia Sajid last year.

The tribunal at Leeds heard Miss Crossley was teaching a class at the college on January 27 when she and her pupils could smell smoke but could not see any flames.

As Miss Crossley made a telephone call to another department regarding the fire and was taking instructions, she "needed quiet" and slapped Miss Sajid on her hip with the flat of her hand in a bid to get her to quieten down, the hearing was told.

Miss Sajid was not hurt as a result of the incident.

Judge Kendrick Horne said Miss Crossley, who had a long and unblemished record at the college since she started in 1984, should have been aware that unless there was immediate physical danger she should not have touched a student and she "intentionally hit Miss Sajid with a sideways sweep of her hand".

He ruled she was not unfairly dismissed and the process leading to her sacking, which she criticised, had been carried out correctly.

Miss Crossley, of Huddersfield, said while she was aware of the allegation, she was not made aware of the severity of the situation and that she could lose her job.

The judge said Miss Crossley should have realised the seriousness of the allegation against her.