The Gomarus school community in Gorinchem and Zaltbommel is in talks with two former students for financial compensation, writes NRC Monday evening. A third pupil has already received financial compensation. The school was discredited two years ago because it forced students out in 2016 and 2017.
The educational institution also had specific rules on how to deal with gay students and teachers within schools.
As a result, the school came under the attention of the Public Prosecutor (OM). The Public Prosecutor ruled that the school had gone “beyond the limit of the allowable”. The prosecution was not a problem because the school had already changed the policy.
At the insistence of the Ministry of Education, the school would now offer alumni financial compensation, he writes NRC. The exact amount has yet to be determined.
The attempt to prosecute the school failed in court
The alumni would have preferred to see the school formally punished. For example, they initiated an Article 12 procedure after the prosecutor decided not to prosecute the school. In such proceedings, the Court of Appeal assesses whether the Public Prosecutor has yet to initiate proceedings.
Again, this was not necessary due to the changed policy. The court acknowledged that the previous policy was discriminatory, but “no new incidents have been reported since then.”
According to NRC students will be offered a fee that will probably not exceed 1,500 euros. That money is supposed to cover the costs of conversations students have had after being forced out of the closet.
