This morning, schoolteacher Enoch Burke, who has been found guilty of no crime or misconduct at Wilson’s Hospital School, was brought by prison officers into the High Court in handcuffs.
Mr Burke was arrested, and is being held in contempt of court indefinitely, after he failed to obey a court injunction obtained by the school which forbade him to attend the premises while he remains suspended after saying he could not address a transgender student as ‘they’.
The Co Mayo teacher has been described by parents as an “excellent teacher”, and claims that he was being suspended because of his religious beliefs.
The report by RTÉ’s Orla O’Donnell of the teacher being brought to court in handcuffs provoked a strong reaction on social media.
Enoch Burke is led into the High Court in handcuffs by prison officers for the resumption of the injunction application by the school where he works, Wilson's Hospital in County Westmeath.
— Órla O'Donnell (@Orlaodo) September 7, 2022
The use of handcuffs was “crazy”, tweeted veteran journalist David Davin Power.
Come on, handcuffs! Crazy. https://t.co/o2IdUp9UB1
— ddp (@theddp) September 7, 2022
“Handcuffs? While maniacs with hundreds of convictions walk the streets,” wrote journalist and Irish Catholic editor, Michael Kelly.
Handcuffs? While maniacs with hundreds of convictions walk the streets… https://t.co/seYdqSIx6u
— Michael Kelly ن (@MichaelPTKelly) September 7, 2022
“Quite the warning to any teacher not willing to bow down to the Taliban. Meanwhile, no doubt the school continues to damage a child by affirming delusional thinking,” one commentator wrote.
Quite the warning to any teacher not willing to bow down to the Traliban. Meanwhile, no doubt the school continues to damage a child by affirming delusional thinking. https://t.co/qgV5K5T7Tb
— Marilyn Irish (@sexbasedrights) September 7, 2022
“#FreeEnoch His only crime was wanting to teach,” wrote one man, while another commented: ” Enoch is very dangerous apparently, he might call a garda the wrong pronoun.”
However, others did not support Mr Burke or his stance:
Excellent, I hope he does some hard time.
— Notund (@RotundC) September 7, 2022
Mr Burke has told the High court: “I am a teacher and I don’t want to be in prison. I want to be in my classroom today.
“It is reprehensible that anyone’s religious beliefs could be taken as a ground for misconduct or gross misconduct,” he added.