Ex-teacher had drug during work with vulnerable child

Aformer Fife teacher was spotted with an illegal drug thought to be cocaine while working with an additional support needs charity.

Lee Watt, who previously taught modern studies at Glenwood High School, Glenrothes, and St Columba’s RC High School, Dunfermline, was working with a vulnerable child when a colleague saw the white powder in his car.

He has been reprimanded by the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) after admitting possessing an illegal drug during a shift at his place of work. Although no longer teaching, Watt remains on the register.

Watt, who claimed the drug was not his, was working with Supporting Positive Paths, which supports children and adults with additional support needs, when the incident occurred on October 13 2020.

The colleague working with him at the time told their employer they had seen a packet of white powder on the back seat when Watt got out of the vehicle. On returning to the vehicle, Watt, the colleague said, put the packet back in his pocket.

He then assisted the child during a subsequent car journey.

Watt claimed he had found the drug at home after having had friends over, did not know what it was and had picked it up with the intention of disposing of it. He apologised to his employer but was sacked from his job, and is understood to now be working as an employment adviser.

The incident was not reported to police, and as the substance was not seized and analysed, it could not be established that it was cocaine. Watt did not respond to the final allegation made against him by the GTCS and was absent from his hearing in October last year, but did admit at an earlier stage in proceedings to having what he believed was a drug at work.

He had previously spent a year working at Glenwood until August 2020, after his probationary teaching year at St Columba’s.

The fitness to teach panel concluded that Watt’s conduct was serious and fell short of the standards expected of a registered teacher.

It said Watt had abused his position of trust but had shown remorse, and the isolated incident was unlikely to happen again.

But it said it had to consider the public interest and added: “The panel considered that the public would be anxious about the nature of the allegation given that it related to a substance believed to be an illegal drug. The panel had in mind the maintenance of the public’s confidence in teachers and in the integrity of the teaching profession.

“Further, the panel reflected upon the maintenance of the public’s confidence in GTC Scotland as a professional regulator.

“The panel concluded that the public interest would be undermined if a finding of impairment were not made.”

It added: “That disposal indicates to the profession and the public the gravity of the matter at issue and maintains public confidence in teachers, the teaching profession and in GTC Scotland as a professional regulator.”

Watt was placed on a period of reprimand for 12 months.

Lee Watt had previously taught modern studies at Glenwood High School, Glenrothes.