Monday, December 10, 2007

Overwork behind teacher suicide

BBC News
March 12, 2004

A teacher from Cornwall who set herself alight, had complained about pressure of work, an inquest has been told.

North Devon Coroner Elizabeth Earland recorded a verdict that Jane Dibb, who taught English and drama at Penair School in Truro, killed herself while the balance of her mind was disturbed.

The inquest heard that Liverpool-born Ms Dibb, 28, had been complaining to her father about overwork.

Her body was found last April on Dartmoor after she set herself alight.

The inquest was told that a depressive illness in the teacher had re-emerged in February last year.

Seroxat cleared

Ms Dibb, from Foxhole, north Cornwall, had complained to her father Alan, from Fowey in Cornwall, about the pressure of work and at the end of March she disappeared.

Her body was found on 2 April at an isolated spot on Dartmoor.

A post mortem examination revealed she died of burns and also found that she had been prescribed the anti-depressant drug Seroxat.

Her family have blamed her death on Seroxat.

But Dr Earland, who adjourned an earlier hearing to investigate the claim, told them: "There is no cogent evidence that Seroxat caused Jane's death."

Penair pupils have filled a 30-page book in tribute to their teacher.

Head teacher Barbara Vann said: "Jane was loved by all who knew her."

(retrieved in full from news.bbc.co.uk)