The Supreme Court has given the go-ahead for Marjorie Richards, a teacher at the Ocho Rios High School, to resume duties effective September 10.

Richards, 55, who has been a teacher since 1979 was informed in a letter dated October 4 last year that, if she did not resume duties within that month, then she would have abandoned her job.

The letter was sent to the wrong address and so it was returned to the school. She said it was when she went to the school in October, after the date ordering her resumption had passed, that she was given the letter.

She said she spoke to Canon Glen Prince, chairman of the School Board who wrote the letter and, when the issue was not resolved, she took the matter to the Supreme Court. She said she was never given a hearing.

Abuse and robbery

Richards, who is being represented by attorney-at-law Barrington Frankson, said in her affidavit that she applied for special leave in May last year after her house was broken into and her 88-year-old mother was severely beaten by robbers and had to be hospitalised.

She said she and her mother became very fearful after the robbery.

She said she took her mother overseas for medical treatment. She said Monica McIntyre, the principal and the school board were aware of the situation and she kept in touch with the school while she was abroad. She returned to the island in October last year and it was then she got the letter from the chairman.

Richards said the school board ought to have known that, at the time the letter was written, she was entitled to pre-retirement leave and would never have abandoned her job.

Mr. Justice Donald McIntosh made an order staying the letter of termination. A hearing has been set for September 26 in the Supreme Court.

The board of management of the Ocho Rios High School and the Attorney-General are the defendants.