Enoch Burke was fired and incarcerated for over 500 days for refusing to use the pronoun ‘they’ when referring to a transgender student.
An Irish schoolteacher, Enoch Burke, may have his salary seized after refusing to use the pronoun “they” instead of “he” when referring to a transgender student. Burke cited his Christian beliefs as the reason for his refusal. The Irish Times reports that this action could be taken against him. Burke has already been imprisoned for more than 500 days.
Enoch Burke, previously a history and German teacher at Wilson’s Hospital School in County Westmeath, has been at the center of a lengthy legal and ethical battle since 2022. The conflict began when Burke was suspended for objecting to the school principal’s instruction to refer to a transitioning student by a new name and the pronoun “they.”
Following a hearing on Friday, the High Court of Ireland will be asked to appoint a receiver to collect unpaid fines from Burke’s wages. If granted, authorities could seize €79,100, which he has accumulated through daily €700 fines for violating court orders to stay away from Wilson’s Hospital School.
Burke, who identifies as an evangelical Christian, repeatedly violated a court order that prohibited him from entering the school grounds.
“I teach every student in front of me,” Burke told SkyNews last year. “However, when I am commanded to abandon my religious beliefs, when I am told I must embrace transgenderism instead of my simple belief in male and female, it is a violation of my rights.”
Despite being suspended with full pay in May 2022 pending an investigation into alleged misconduct, Burke continued to appear at the school, resulting in his imprisonment for contempt of court in September 2022. He has been jailed for a total of 512 days across three separate instances for disobeying court orders.
Even though he was dismissed from the school, Burke is still receiving his salary while his appeal against his termination is pending.
Recently, Justice David Nolan doubled Burke’s daily fine to €1,400 after it came to light that he had entered the school through a student entrance and attempted to participate in a school assembly.
Nolan estimated that Burke owes around €190,000 due to the €700 daily fine imposed by the court in January 2023.
Burke has accused the courts of failing to acknowledge his constitutional right to religious freedom, arguing that these rights were violated when he was instructed to refer to a student using they/them pronouns.
According to its website, “Wilson’s Hospital School remains a place where a genuine love of knowledge transforms study into discovery and joy. Our school upholds a distinct Church of Ireland ethos, nurturing Christian practice and teaching, promoting dignity and respect for each individual, and fostering a caring family environment conducive to education.”
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