Enoch Burke officially sacked after appeals panel upholds school’s decision

By Bairbre Holmes, Press Association

Enoch Burke has officially lost his job at Wilson’s Hospital School after an appeals panel upheld a decision to sack him.

It is understood that the school’s board of management met on Wednesday after a disciplinary appeals panel issued an opinion upholding his dismissal.

In the meeting, the board confirmed its decision to terminate Burke’s employment.

The former history and German teacher has been engaged in a legal dispute with the Co Westmeath school since 2022.

He was suspended following incidents arising from a request from the school’s then-principal to address a student by a new name and pronoun, and later dismissed from his position.

Burke has repeatedly argued the direction was unconstitutional and went against his right to express his religious beliefs.

In January 2023, the teacher was dismissed from his position following a disciplinary process.

Since then, three disciplinary appeals panels (DAPs) were formed to handle the case and review his dismissal.

Burke has also repeatedly been jailed after being found to have violated court orders instructing him not to trespass at the school.

The Burke family claim he has spent over 700 days in prison.