£4,000 for Pendle race abuse teacher (From Lancashire Telegraph)

£4,000 for Pendle race abuse teacher

10:22am Wednesday 25th March 2009 in News By Jon Livesey, Reporter

A TEACHER who was racially abused by pupils at a Pendle school has been awarded £4,000 for “injury to feelings.”

The decision comes after a tribunal which found that Ajaz Ditta, 40, had been discriminated against at West Craven Technology College, in Barnoldswick.

The school has also been told it should implement changes to ensure it improves the ways it deals with such problems.

Mr Ditta, a supply teacher at the school from 2004 to 2005, said he was pleased with the outcome.

And the school’s headteacher said he welcomed recommend-ations from the tribunal, and wished Mr Ditta well in the future.

Last month an employment tribunal ruled that the school did not monitor racial incidents and had no clear policy for dealing with problems.

The school has been ordered to pay Mr Ditta £4,000 for injury to feelings for racial discrimination in accordance with Race Relations Act 1976.

It must also take advice from the Commission for Human Rights Equality within the next three months, and could be forced to bring in an external specialist in race awareness.

It may also have to implement its existing race equality policy, which includes setting up a race awareness group.

Mr Ditta said: “Justice has been done and there has been clear evidence that institutional racism has occurred at West Craven Technology College.

“It is a lesson for the school and those who target individuals on the basis of their colour.

“The school should now work closely with Commission for Racial Equality Council and take advise on race issues.”

Arnold Kuchartschuk, headteacher at West Craven High, said: “We welcome the recommendations of the tribunal and are working to put them into practice.

"We take bullying very seriously, and these actions will strengthen the procedures we already have in place.”