Booze cruiser bonus
22nd September 2009
Publication: Herald Sun Sunday, Page 14 (Sun 12 Jul 2009)
Edition: 1 - FIRST
Section: NEWS
A PRIMARY school principal who has been collared twice for drink-driving has won a promotion and is now back behind the wheel.
Jennifer McCrabb lost her licence for drink-driving in Warrnambool last May after a drinking session at the races and a local pub.
A court heard she had driven from the races with her children in the car after consuming at least three drinks, later driving again to a hotel.
She was the principal at Nullawarre Primary School at the time, but she told the court she left town because of rumour-mongering.
Ms McCrabb yesteday denied she had been drink-driving, but admitted she was at fault.
She said she told the Education Department of her driving charges immediately after the incident.
But instead of being held back by her serial drink-driving record the department gave her a position as principal of inner-city St Kilda Park Primary School.
Opposition education spokesman Martin Dixon said he was shocked that a principal could act so irresponsibly and be rewarded by the department.
``Principals have a very important leadership role in the community whether they like it or not their personal lives need to reflect that as much as their professional lives,'' he said.
Ms McCrabb said suspension of her licence did not affect her ``capacity to manage the school as principal or my relationships with the school community''.
The Education Department stood by Ms McCrabb yesterday.
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Martin Dixon MP
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