A self-proclaimed ‘superstar head teacher’ had his racial discrimination and unfair dismissal case rejected by a tribunal.
Paul Mundy-Castle was fired from his position as a head teacher at Woodcote High School in Coulsdon in July 2021, after school governors found serious financial mismanagement issues.
Mundy-Castle took the case to the Croydon Employment Tribunal alleging racism against Woodcote High’s governors, who gave him the job in 2019, but the panel decided in his former employer’s favour.
The tribunal panel said: “It was the circumstance that drove his actions, not the claimant’s race.
“The evidence shows that early in the relationship the Board were having concerns that cash was depleting quickly and the Board needed better visibility of the finances.”
Mundy-Castle’s initial claim against the school included: direct racist discrimination, racist harassment, whistleblowing victimization and unfair dismissal.
Woodcote High School fought against these claims, arguing the former head teacher was dismissed due to financial mismanagement under his name.
They put forward evidence that suggested Mundy-Castle committed the school to pay £47,927.70p, almost double the amount authorized under the school’s Financial Policy and Procedures.
He later signed a rental agreement with Funding 4 Education for leasing wi-fi equipment.
This committed the school to a minimum payment plan of three years, with a sum of £12,681.92p annually.
The school governors were not informed prior about either financial decision.
Both financial claims were unauthorized by the school governors and therefore in breach of the Financial Policy and Procedures.
Mundy-Castle failed to provide the governors with relevant financial disclosures when asked, leading to his dismissal.
The tribunal panel agreed this was not a case of racism but a fair dismissal based on financial mismanagement on Mundy-Castle’s behalf.
They believe if Mundy-Castle was the same race as the governor who dismissed him, the actions that followed would not differ.
Cliff Taylor, chair of Local Governing Body at Woodcote High School, released a statement on behalf of the school, expressing their satisfaction with the tribunal decision.
He said: “Neither the school nor The Collegiate Trust wished to be involved in litigation with Mr Mundy-Castle.
“However, we are pleased to have been entirely exonerated.”
Mundy-Castle disputed the tribunal decision and will be considering his legal options, along with publicly sharing his disappointment via networking platform LinkedIn.
Mundy-Castle said: “The decision was clearly and demonstrably wrong.
“It transpires that white/non-black staff can commit gross misconduct but when a black headteacher challenges that, he is then wrongly and unlawfully dismissed – that was my perspective.”
Upon the negative outcome he released a short self-published documentary on his life, his immigration to the UK from Nigeria and career development.
He continues his personal fight against racism, as he shares his journey as a basketball coach with Basketball England.
Featured image: Kasia Flisiuk
