Please don't apologise for the length of your reply. You've written some extremely valid points and I think it would be fair to say, that at some point in the past few weeks, we've considered them all. And I appreciate, most of all, the heart behind it - that you're supporting what we're going through, which means a lot.
I can't remember if I wrote this in the original post, but he have consulted with a lawyer, and their view is similar to yours (and ours) - this shouldn't be something that can be done, but at the moment, it is. I've already considered, quite seriously, the idea of developing a class action against the employer and making sure that this cannot happen to people in the future.
My reply to your previous comment was kind of flippant, when I mentioned that this was quite widespread, but it seems that it's happening more than I would've ever thought possible, kind of like the department is trying to clear themselves of all teachers they view as a liability, however, they're going about it all wrong, and they're also attacking people who have done nothing wrong. A well managed mental condition is no more serious than a bout of hay fever. My wife knows a person she worked with last year, who has been dismissed under similar circumstances for similar reasons, and this individual is struggling with major trauma as a result of how they were treated. They're fighting it using social media, which isn't necessarily the best way to go about it, but this person feels there isn't any other option. From what I understand, they've had to leave the state and have been advised not to come back. (Obviously, much more extreme than my wife's situation, but from what I understand, it began under similar circumstances.)
I'm not sure how far we'll take it with a lawyer - I guess that depends on the outcome of the situation, and more so, what good (for everyone) would going down the litigation path be. I'm disinclined to chew up a lot of resources (time, money, stress, etc) for little change. But if we were able to actually change the way these so-called problems were handled, than I might be open to really having a go at stomping out this sort of behaviour. The problem is, I suspect, this will involve governmental change.