Panel finds allegations of teacher’s misconduct to be proven

ACCUSATIONS of unacceptable professional misconduct have been proven against a maths master at a secondary school.

An Education Workforce Council fitness to practise panel found that accusations of professional misconduct against Luke Stewart, who taught at £12,000-a-year St John’s College, in St Mellons, Cardiff, were proven.

Mr Stewart denied accusations of flirting and showing favouritism towards a girl, referred to as Pupil A, but admitted to “unprofessional conduct” in writing inappropriate comments on an assessment paper back in 2016.

He also denied invading the pupil’s personal space, and rejected the claims that his actions were “sexually motivated”.

The council was told the teacher had written the comments in pink pen with the instructions “read at home” and “do not turn” on one side of the paper.

Presenting officer Carys Williams had said homework was returned to the girl in 2016 with the comments: “You have been really cold with me for about one third of the year – fair?”

She said Mr Stewart, who had previously given private tuition to the pupil, also wrote: “You cannot be horrible to the wrong people in life.

“Just think before you speak you can say hurtful things you don’t mean.”

Mr Stewart also admitted to sending Pupil A a birthday card, but said the card was one of several he had sent to pupils he had tutored.

Giving evidence, Mr Stewart described some of his words as being “overly emotional” but said they were meant as encouragement and “borne out of frustration that the pupil had developed an extremely negative attitude”.

Chair of the Fitness to Practise Committee, Helene Mansfield, deemed Mr Stewart’s behaviour as “inappropriate” and said it went against a teacher’s duty of maintaining “mutual trust and respect” with students.

Ms Mansfield said: “The committee carefully considered the comments left on Pupil A’s assessment paper and deemed them to be inappropriate.

“The birthday card that was sent to Pupil A in 2016 has also been carefully considered.

“Concerns were raised that the card was signed ‘Stewey.’”

It was also proved that Mr Stewart had engaged with “extensive text message conversations” with Pupil A’s mother.

Ms Mansfield stated Mr Stewart’s reasons for meeting the mother at locations outside of the school were “evasive and concerning”.

Although the maths teacher was found to have acted unprofessionally, the committee agreed his actions were not proved to be “sexually motivated”.

Speaking on behalf of the committee, Ms Mansfield claimed there was not enough evidence to prove that Mr Stewart had flirted, or showed favouritism, towards Pupil A.

Ms Mansfield also dismissed the accusation that Mr Stewart had “encroached Pupil A’s personal space”.

Mr Stewart, of Caerphilly, joined the school in 2011 but left by mutual agreement in 2016 after a settlement was agreed.

The case has now been adjourned.