Ex-teacher sues over noisy chair
Wednesday, March 22, 2006; Posted: 4:43 a.m. EST (09:43 GMT)
BRISTOL, England (AP) -- A British teacher who says a noisy chair made classroom life a misery is suing her former employer for unfair dismissal.
Sue Storer, 48, told an employment tribunal Tuesday she was subjected to sexist and bullying behavior while working as deputy head teacher at Bedminster Down Secondary School in Bristol, southwest England.
Storer said the school failed to replace her chair, which made a "farting" noise whenever anyone sat on it, although other staff received new chairs.
She said the chair was a source of embarrassment, especially at parent-teacher evenings.
She also said male colleagues were favored over her and she was placed under an unfair amount of pressure.
"I had a nervous breakdown because of the ordeal I went through. It's just not fair that people can treat you like that," said Storer, who resigned in September. She said she would never teach again.
She is seeking a ruling that the school's behavior amounted to unfair dismissal and sexual discrimination, as well as compensation for lost earnings. The tribunal is expected to rule within the next two weeks.
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