A FRIEND of a former English teacher who was sacked from a Chepstow secondary school said she is devastated after losing her appeal against the decision.

Former head of English at Chepstow School, Kathy Currie, who began teaching there in 1986, had her appeal heard by a panel of independent teachers or governors from other Monmouthshire schools on Monday.

A Monmouthshire council spokesman said: “We have noted the decision of an appeals panel to uphold the dismissal of a teacher from Chepstow School. We continue to have full confidence in the school and will make no further comment.”

The council has previously told Free Press it cannot reveal why the teacher was sacked and could not comment on an online campaign, set up by former Chepstow School teacher Mike Rees, who retired in 2009 when he was assistant head teacher, backing Mrs Currie’s appeal.

Speaking after the appeal, Mr Rees said: “I am obviously disappointed and disappointed on behalf of the massive support that she has received.”

“The messages of goodwill continue to come in in support of Kathy.”

He said Mrs Currie is unable to comment, but added: “She is obviously devastated after 27 years plus teaching and disappointed that her arguments did not win the day.”

Mr Rees has posted a series of articles on a blog entitled Reinstate Kathy Currie and accused the school of choosing “an all-singing, all-dancing, younger curriculum leader for English”, with the quickest way to achieve this being “to steamroller Kathy’s career and reputation”.

He claimed that since January 2012, 10 experienced teachers have been made redundant, taken voluntary redundancy or, as in Mrs Currie’s case, sacked from Chepstow School.

“This represents over 300 years of experience,” he said.

“Concerns about the capability of Kathy Currie seemed to suddenly surface [in] spring 2012,” Mr Rees wrote. “I can confirm that for the 12 years prior to December 2009, when I was a member of the school’s management teams, no member of these teams ever expressed any doubts regarding Kathy’s ability.

“This is not the way to treat a respected teacher.”