Lesbian teacher loses appeal

A lesbian teacher has lost her appeal to the House of Lords over claims of sexual harassment by pupils. She was forced to take early retirement and blamed the school for failing to take steps to stop the harassment. Her discrimination claim was dismissed on the grounds that she was not discriminated against as a woman, but as a lesbian – and she had admitted in court that a homosexual would have been treated similarly. It was therefore not sexual discrimination, as she was harassed because of her sexual orientation, not her sex.