Icelandic teacher says Spanish school dismissed her without warning

Former primary school teacher Erla María Huttunen says she was unexpectedly dismissed from a school near Valencia after 11 years, without being told about the alleged offences cited against her or receiving any warnings. The account was reported by mbl.is.

Huttunen said the events began in late June, as staff were finishing the school year and preparing for the next one. The principal came to her while she was working on plans for the coming year and asked her to come along. At first, she thought it might be about a request she had recently made to the school board concerning a media interview and a photograph that was to be taken of her.

The school is a private institution with pupils aged three to 18 and students from many nationalities. It was previously owned entirely by several Spanish owners. A few years ago, one sold their share to a British company with headquarters in Madrid and offices in the UK. The company owns more than 30 international schools around the world, including seven in Spain.

Huttunen has lived in Spain for 20 years. She and her husband, Mohammed, known as Simo, and their daughters, Maram and Salma, live in Catarroja, a small town near Valencia.

She said the school had become more corporate since the change in ownership, with more formal procedures and paperwork. As an example, she said staff now have to write a report after a one-day school trip. She also pointed to changes involving child safety and other requirements.