Dismissal trial

“A teacher must behave in a manner befitting her position”

Monika Ring with her lawyer Marcus Hohenecker

(Bild: Horst Einöder/Flashpictures)

A teacher had been posting on social media as the Orgasm Pope since November 2023. However, the school took exception to this and wanted the accounts deleted, which the 48-year-old refused to do. Shortly before Christmas 2023, she was dismissed without notice, among other things "because a teacher must behave in a manner befitting her position".

On Thursday, the trial of former primary school teacher Monika Ring, who became known as the orgasm pope, entered the next round as she defended herself in court against her summary dismissal. Lawyer Marcus Hohenecker had requested seven witnesses, but exactly one was questioned on this day of the trial, namely the person responsible for compulsory school staff at the Directorate of Education.

Father complained
The main topic of the questioning was why the dismissal without notice in December 2023 had occurred in the first place. "A father drew the attention of the primary school principal to Ms Ring's social media accounts, whereupon the principal demanded that they be deleted both verbally and in writing, but she did not comply," replied the HR manager.

Private and school strictly separated
"Why should I have done that?" counters the former teacher and continues: "I didn't realize what I had done wrong. This is private, and I always kept my private life and school strictly separate." The Directorate of Education takes a different view, because "a teacher is a public figure and must present herself accordingly."

Social media accounts opened
Ring had been working as a primary school teacher since 2016, and in 2018 she is said to have registered a small business as an energy therapist - also at school. At the end of November, the teacher then opened the aforementioned social media accounts, on which she gave tips "for a wonderful sex life" as the "Orgasm Pope". "It felt like the ball was rolling a week later," Ring said in court.

Conversation failed
The principal's instructions were followed by a meeting on December 22 of the previous year, in which the teacher and her lawyer, as well as representatives from the school and education directorate, are said to have taken part. "I tried to explain to Ms. Ring that the appearances were not appropriate for a primary school teacher, but the conversation only ever went round in circles," said the representative of the Directorate of Education.

"Amicable" rejected
They also initially offered to terminate the employment contract by mutual agreement. Ring did not agree to this, however, "because I didn't do anything wrong." She wanted to be dismissed, but the Directorate of Education only saw several reasons for dismissal: "She disregarded the employer's trust, her side job as an orgasmic pope was not reported and her appearance was inadequate."

To be continued
The summary dismissal took effect at the end of December and the teacher has been fighting it ever since. Further witnesses are to be heard in May and a settlement is still not ruled out by either side, "but the ideas are far apart."