Enoch Burke, an Irish teacher, has been !mprisoned for a third time after he was arre.sted outside Wilson’s Hospital School, where he was dismissed for refusing to use a transgender student’s preferred pronouns.
The dispute began in May 2022 when Mr. Burke, a devout Evangelical Christian, expressed his opposition to transgenderism based on his religious beliefs.
He refused to address a transitioning student by their new name or use the pronouns “they/them,” despite a directive from headteacher Niamh McShane instructing staff to respect the student’s chosen identity.
Mr. Burke’s refusal to comply with this directive led to his first arrest in September 2022. He spent 100 days in pr!son before being released.
He was imprisoned again in September 2023, spending Christmas behind bars, and was only released in June of this year.
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As of September 2, Mr. Burke has been jailed once more. This time, he was taken into custody by Gardaí (Irish police) and transported to Mountjoy Prison after repeatedly violating a High Court injunction that prohibited him from entering the school grounds. Justice Michael Quinn sentenced him for contempt of court after Mr. Burke refused to confirm whether he intended to return to the school.
During the court proceedings, Mr. Burke told Justice Quinn, “You will answer to God for imprisoning me for my religious beliefs.” He was dismissed from the school in January 2023 for gross misconduct due to his refusal to use the student’s new name and pronouns.
Despite his dismissal, Mr. Burke continued to receive his salary pending his appeal, totaling around €72,000 while on administrative leave. Justice Quinn noted the urgent need to address the disruptions caused by Mr. Burke’s presence at the school, which had been affecting the daily operations and staff duties.
Mr. Burke and his family have criticized the judges handling the case, alleging they overlooked the legality of the school’s demand for him to use the student’s preferred pronouns. He argued that his Christian beliefs, which affirm the biblical view of gender, were being disregarded and that he was being coerced into promoting what he considers a harmful ideology.
He maintains that his religious convictions would not lead to negative outcomes for students and contends that the demands placed on him amounted to forcing a “hellish ideology” on vulnerable young people.
The court also heard that Mr. Burke has not paid €88,000 in fines incurred for defying the court order. Rosemary Mallon BL, representing the school, noted difficulties in collecting this amount. The law provides for debt collection through agencies, but such measures are typically applied to companies rather than individuals.
As of now, Mr. Burke is still receiving his salary from the Department of Education while his appeal against his dismissal remains pending. The appeal cannot proceed until the Court of Appeal resolves a challenge concerning the members of the appeal board.
