A special needs teacher has been barred from her school by Barnet Council, after returning from SARS-affected Toronto despite her children being told they must attend lessons.

Rachel Lewis, 35, and her partner Felix Gill, of Corringham Road, Golders Green, returned from Canada on Sunday morning (April 27), after taking their two children, aged seven and ten, to see Mr Gill's father. The superbug SARS has so far claimed 21 lives in Toronto, although travelling to the city has now been given the all clear by the World Health Organisation.

Under council policy, Ms Lewis was told she should not return to the school where she works as a special needs co-ordinator until next Wednesday, when the ten-day SARS incubation period is up.

Neither Ms Lewis nor the council were willing to say which school she works at.

The move contradicts recommendations from Barnet Primary Care Trust and the Department of Health that people returning from SARS-affected areas carry on their lives as normal if they show none of the highly visible symptoms of the virus.

Ms Lewis said: "My school is strapped for cash and we are having to cut back on staff next year. They can't afford to be paying me to take leave. It just demonstrates ignorance about the virus."

The council said her children should go to school as normal, citing guidelines from the Department of Education, the Public Health Laboratory and the Health and Safety Executive, which say children are less susceptible to the virus than adults.

But Ms Lewis said: "If it's so difficult for children to catch it, why are we teachers then stopped from going into school? I went to pick up my kids from school and people didn't want to speak to me."

April 30, 2003 19:00