Teacher sacked over Facebook comments made during 2019 Hong Kong protests granted judicial review
- High Court rules Toffee Tam’s application for judicial review was reasonably arguable
- Tam, who spent 27 years in the civil service, was fired in July and stripped of all retirement benefits
The High Court on Thursday ruled Toffee Tam Yuk-fun’s application for a judicial review was on its face reasonably arguable, based on written submissions filed by her legal counsel three days ago.
Tam, who spent 27 years in the civil service, was fired in July and stripped of all retirement benefits after an internal inquiry found her guilty of misconduct.
Disciplinary proceedings last year concluded that Tam had “fallen short of the standards of a teacher” and “brought the government into disrepute” with messages posted on her Facebook account between June and September 2019.
The former educator came under attack that year by a pro-Beijing newspaper, which accused her of fostering hatred towards police by posting “vicious” and “vengeful” remarks about officers and their families.
The judicial review filing did not disclose the offensive statements Tam allegedly made that led to the inquiry.
The filing said Tam, who last taught at the Jockey Club Government Secondary School in Kowloon Tong, became “heavily traumatised by the continuous acts of doxxing against her” since her personal views were made known to the public.
