Teacher fired for pronoun row goes to school just day after arrest

A teacher who was fired and arrested after refusing to call a transgender student “she” has returned to the school.

Enoch Burke was officially fired last Friday after repeatedly refusing his principal’s requests that he use a trans student’s preferred pronouns.

But he still showed up at Wilson’s Hospital School in Co Westmeath, Dublin.

Staff refused Mr Burke entry before he was arrested by Gardai for trespassing.

Upon his release, he promptly returned to school before leaving later that afternoon.

Mr Burke was waiting outside the school again today – after being dropped off by his father – but was not allowed into the building.

The teacher was standing in the rain and was seen writing in a notebook at times.

Mr Burke had previously been jailed in September when he insisted on returning to school despite being suspended from work on full pay during an ongoing disciplinary investigation.

He was placed under a restraining order barring him entry into the building but continued to attempt to enter his classroom.

When Mr Burke was eventually arrested, he told the court that being asked to use the pronoun “she” was a “violation” of his Christian faith.

While he was behind bars, the judge asked Mr Burke if he would continue to appear at school if released, and he replied that he would.

He said: “If this court so rules, I will never leave Mountjoy Prison if, in leaving prison, I violate my well-informed conscience and my religious beliefs and deny my God.

“It seems to me that I can be a Christian in Mountjoy Prison or a pagan and transgender acceptor outside of prison. I know where I belong

‘My faith brought me to this place and will keep me there.’

He was released last December and was told his liberty would be at risk if he flouted the High Court’s order again.

Mr Burke has rejected his recent dismissal, insisting he has a right to work and that he was “wrongly” arrested on Tuesday for trespassing.

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