A SCHOOL accused of racially discriminating against a black teacher has been cleared of the allegations.

Nigel Mountford, headteacher of the Harwich School, spoke of his relief after the findings of the employment tribunal, but said there had been “no winners”.

Dr Emmanuel Forson, of Secundus Drive, Colchester, took the Dovercourt secondary school to the tribunal which concluded last month.

The report is due to be officially released today.

Mr Mountford said: “I am relieved for the school, relieved on a personal level. It is not the sort of thing any school or other organisation wants to have happen, because things said can be interpreted in different ways.

“Certainly things said weren’t a true reflection of my colleagues and students at the school.

“I am a person of principle and will do things by the book. I am pleased to say it can now be forgotten.

“Dr Forson has the right to appeal, but it is not good for the school and not good for the students reading things like that.It is good it is now finished and we can now move on.

“I said to staff, ‘At the end of the day, there are no winners with this’. I genuinely feel that it is not a success story.

“I wish Dr Forson all the best. No one wants to see someone struggle, but at every stage we tried to support him and give him every opportunity to talk to us.”

Judge Pritchard-Witts ruled all nine points raised relating to the maths teacher being allegedly victimised and racially discriminated against should be dismissed.

During the first stage of the tribunal, held in October, Dr Forson accused teachers of not dealing properly with complaints he made about racism from pupils. He argued the incidents were not properly documented and told the hearing he had allegedly been assaulted by a Year 11 pupil, which resulted in him seeing his GP.

When the hearing resumed in March, the father-of-two claimed he had not been given copies of the school’s grievance policy and race equality policy.

But the Hall Lane school, which suspended Dr Forson in November 2007, argued he incited racism as a result of accusations he made to pupils in his classrooms and staff.

The school’s governors eventually dismissed him.

Dr Forson, 46, who is originally from Ghana, did not appeal against his dismissal.

Janet Little, chairman of the school governors, said: “We embrace diversity and the allegation was disappointing.

“The school is committed to ongoing improvement and our priorities will always be what is right for students and employees.”

Dr Forson represented himself throughout the hearing. Despite calls from the Gazette asking for his comments, he did not respond.