A TEACHER sacked by Calderdale Council for writing a “racy” novel about her pupils has now been invited to talk about the book at the council’s literature festival.
Leonora Rustamova, from Salendine Nook, told the Examiner she could see how some people might think the council had “double standards” but welcomed the opportunity to talk at the Readers’ and Writers’ Festival in October.
Ms Rustamova said she was begged by a group of teenage boys in her English class to write a book about them.
The 41-year-old ended up getting sacked from Calder High School where she worked, faced bankruptcy and was referred to the safeguarding authority to see whether she should be banned from working with children.
Ms Rustamova – known as Miss Rusty to her pupils – joked: “Calderdale is my favourite council!
“People might think it is double standards but I think it is a book that caused an awful lot of mixed feelings and this may just be a positive opportunity for people to come along and discuss it – there’s a lot of mystery around it.
“I think it’s a good thing I’m speaking at the festival, I’ve always been about openness.” Ms Rustamova, whose daughter Flora goes to Greenhead College, told the Examiner it has been hard getting back into work since the controversy.
She said: “I won’t deny it, it has been hard but I’m actually starting a new job teaching creative writing at an adult learning college in Leeds – Swarthmore College.
“It was horrific when I was first suspended because I wasn’t allowed to say anything to explain myself.
“But it is nice that I’ve been allowed to speak for myself and people have had a chance to read it and make up their own minds for themselves – I’ve had lots of positive responses about it.
“I have a daughter who goes to Greenhead College and surprisingly all this controversy hasn’t affected her too much and she’s done really well in her GCSEs, I’m so proud of her, we’re very close.”
Ms Rustamova said she is currently working on another book which could also prove to be as “controversial” as this first book, “Stop! Don’t Read This”.
She said: “I’m not saying anything about it yet because it isn’t written but it will have some lively scenes in it.”
Calderdale Council was asked for a comment, but did not come back with a statement.
