Barbara Nowak found guilty of defaming Kraków school director

A district court in Kraków has found former Małopolska education superintendent Barbara Nowak guilty of defamation. The court ruled that Nowak’s statements regarding Urszula Mroczek-Gula, the director of Vocational School Complex No. 2 in Kraków, could have lowered her reputation and jeopardized the professional trust required for her role.

The case originated from statements made by Nowak in 2024 via a TVN24 report and on the X platform. These statements suggested that Mroczek-Gula had neglected her duties in supervising a dormitory, potentially contributing to the death of a student in October 2018. While the director had previously faced disciplinary inquiries regarding the incident, she maintained her innocence.

The court imposed a fine of 6,000 PLN on Nowak and ordered her to pay 10,000 PLN in compensation to Mroczek-Gula. The verdict is currently non-final. Mroczek-Gula’s legal representative stated that while the decision is satisfactory, the primary goal was to defend her dignity rather than seek financial gain.