A SECONDARY school teacher has claimed before the High Court she was bullied and sexually harassed by a male colleague who made her feel like “a piece of meat” and once told her “all women are stupid”.
Mary O’Toole, who teaches history, geography and English, left Tullamore College after, she claims, she was leered at, inappropriately touched, subjected to verbal insults and demeaned by another teacher at the college, Jim Mooney, on occasions between 1996 and 2000.
Ms O’Toole also claims she was driven to breaking point by Mr Mooney’s alleged behaviour which had resulted in her cutting the tyres of his car, which she regretted. She claims the VEC did nothing about her complaints and she moved to another school in 2001.
In proceedings against Co Offaly Vocational Education Committee (VEC), Ms O’Toole (48), a married mother of one, Whitehall Estate, Tullamore, alleges, while employed with the defendant as a teacher at Tullamore College she was harassed, sexually harassed, and intimidated. She claims the VEC was negligent and in breach of its duty of care towards her and caused her to suffer personal injuries and distress.
In evidence, Ms O’Toole said Mr Mooney would put his hands on her back and rub her when they were in the staff room. The case opened yesterday before Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O’Neill.