Teacher gets ban over his Twitter posts
MAN TOLD HE CAN’T APPLY TO HAVE IT LIFTED FOR 3 YEARS
A TEACHER has been banned from teaching indefinitely after posting a series of inappropriate tweets.
Edward Smith, formerly of The Pingle Academy, Swadlincote, was told that he would not be able to apply to have the ban lifted for three years, following a hearing held by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA).
He was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and/or conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute.
The panel hearing found that between, on or about October 12, 2021, and January 13, 2022, he posted on his personal Twitter account one or more public comments of an inappropriate and/or offensive nature.
Mr Smith admitted the facts of this allegation and also admitted his conduct amounted to unacceptable professional conduct and/or conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute.
The tweets ranged in topic, from references to pornography and paedophilia, to quips about ISIS and 9/11.
The panel found that Smith’s pattern of behaviour disregarded the requirement to uphold and maintain the proper standards for the teaching profession.
This included, but was not limited to, repeated reference to child pornography in a way that could be interpreted as normalising such behaviour. Speaking on the panel’s recommendation to the Secretary of State, a statement from the Teaching Regulation Agency added: ”The panel’s view is that it is likely that the ordinary citizen would lose confidence in the teaching profession if behaviour like Mr Smith’s was unchecked.
“The panel also attached particular weight to the safeguarding aspects in this case.
“The substance of Mr Smith’s Tweets is such that a pupil might be influenced by the fact that they are aware Mr Smith is a teacher, in a position of some authority, and infer from the Tweets that the views purported within them are appropriate in modern society.” A spokesperson for The Pingle Academy, left, said: “Our school is built on the values where every member of our community must be kind and choose wisely. “Where those aspirations are not met, it is important that issues are addressed quickly and fairly.
“We became aware of comments that this individual had posted on social media posts, a robust process was started. Shortly afterwards he was dismissed and a referral was made to the Teacher Regulation Agency (TRA).”