Ex-special school teacher who hit pupil is banned
ATEACHER who hit a pupil and said to another “put your legs under the table before I break them” has been banned from the profession indefinitely.
Elaine Housley, 61, who taught at Old Hall Special School in Walsall between September 2015 and March 2017, also branded a child “lazy” and forced a boy’s fist into his mouth after he had tried to bite her, a Teaching Regulation Agency panel found.
Other allegations that saw her suspended over reports of “inappropriate and unprofessional behaviour” included using a pupil’s arms to wipe up water they had spilt, “forcefully” pushing another in the back and hitting a child on the head with part of a blind.
She also said “I want her to fall to the floor” when she noticed a child leaning back on a chair and using one pupil’s hand to hit another.
Other
allegations
against
her were found not proven but were denied by Mrs Housley.
The professional conduct panel heard a member of staff decided to report Mrs Housley in March 2017 after witnessing a “vile” altercation between the teacher and a pupil who had attempted to bite her.
The witness said Mrs Housley had reacted by taking the pupil’s hand and making it into a fist before forcing it towards his mouth as she said words to the effect of “you bite yourself, you don’t bite me”. The witness told the panel she was so shocked by what she had witnessed, she had cried when she got home.
When concerns were raised, the school, which educates pupils with complex needs, including profound and multiple learning difficulties, suspended Mrs Housley, pending an inquiry.
A disciplinary hearing took place in February 2018, which determined her conduct amounted to gross misconduct and she was dismissed from her role at the school.
After considering the evidence, ,
all the panel concluded the actions of Mrs Housley were “undoubtedly inappropriate and inherently serious”.
A report of proceedings said although there was “no evidence that any long-term physical harm” had been caused to pupils, there was the potential for there to be an impact on pupils’ mental health.
It said that the class of pupils were “more difficult to manage than Mrs Housley had previously experienced”, noting that before the academic year 2016/2017, there was no evidence of any complaints against her.
The panel said Mrs Housley had “not demonstrated any remorse nor any insight into her actions” but noted it was “not unexpected” due to her “complete denial of all allegations”.
The report concluded by stating Mrs Housley was prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England. She may apply for the prohibition order to be set aside, but not until 2021.