Who Is Charlotte Moore? Essex School Teacher Fired For Using ‘Chattering Monkeys’ Slur

Charlotte MooreA sixth-form teacher at Trinity St Mary’s School in Chelmsford, Essex, has been sacked after being accused of making racist comments, a tribunal has heard. Her use of the term “chattering monkeys” to calm her “diverse” class was the main source of controversy and sparked anger among parents. Complaints followed shortly afterwards, with several parents branding the comment “very racist”.

Police investigated the incident but quickly concluded that Moore’s comment was not intended as a racial slur, despite the controversy. Concluding that his comments were directed at the class as a whole and not at any particular student, police did not declare the comment a hate crime.

However, the accusations against Moore did not stop there when she used the term “talking monkeys.” More allegations surfaced, including physical abuse of students by the “very strict” instructor. She was accused of shaking one student and grabbing the back of the neck of another in these allegations. Moore was also accused of “jokingly” threatening to shoot a student if he persisted in causing disruptions in class.

The school launched an internal investigation in response to these claims. When fourteen of the thirty students in Moore’s class were questioned, a large number of them admitted to being worried and panicking. Some students mentioned the fact that Moore had called them a “bunch of monkeys,” raising questions about his behavior in class.

Moore denied all allegations of physical assault and threats made during the investigation. While he acknowledged saying, “You’re like a bunch of talking monkeys, shut up and get on with your work,” he maintained that his comments were intended to be humorous. Moore justified his actions by saying that he frequently used “overly dramatic statements” to control the classroom environment.

Moore insisted otherwise, but in the end, the school chose to fire her because of her atrocious behavior. Her use of the word “monkey,” particularly in a classroom with a diverse student body, was deemed unacceptable and could be interpreted as a racial slur. This was the reasoning behind the decision. School officials said their duty to protect the well-being of the students entrusted to their care justified what they were doing.

The panel, chaired by Employment Judge Suzanne Palmer, upheld the decision to dismiss Moore from the school. Judge Palmer stressed in her decision that the school had an obligation to investigate the issues raised by both parents and children. She said the ethnic diversity of the class and the belief by students and parents that Moore’s comments were discriminatory had influenced the school’s decision to treat the matter seriously.

However, Judge Palmer also questioned whether Moore’s dismissal for gross misconduct was justified by the fact of the incident alone. Before making that decision, she indicated that a reasonable employer could have taken Moore’s motivation into account. However, the court acknowledged that other issues about Moore’s classroom conduct also influenced the school’s decision, not just the “talking monkey” comment.