Teacher struck off over inappropriate videos

Pupils were shown material of sexual nature during classes

A chemistry teacher who allowed pupils to watch inappropriate videos in her classroom has been struck off.

Claire Thompson used her school computer to show cartoon clips of a character raping young children.

Inappropriate videos on German and Russian torture techniques were also played.

Pupils had asked to watch the videos at the end of classes and Thompson put them on and “laughed” along with them.

Thompson, who taught at a high school in Fife, was reported to bosses and suspended. Her case was then referred to the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS).

She has now been found guilty by the GTCS of repeatedly allowing pupils to watch material of an ‘inappropriate and sexual nature’ during classes using council equipment between October and December 2016.

A charge that she repeatedly left pupils unsupervised within the classroom was also found proved.

Following a hearing in Edinburgh, the GTCS panel found that she was unfit to teach and removed her name from the teaching register.

Pupils, who were studying Higher Chemistry in Thompson’s class, gave evidence that the videos were shown weekly on a large smart board, through the teacher’s work computer.

One female student said the first video showed a cartoon of a character going into a residential school and having sexual intercourse with a young orphan boy aged about 12. It lasted approximately five to six minutes.

She said the videos made her feel uncomfortable but Thompson seemed to think the clips were funny and did not turn them off.

Another pupil said some classmates had suggested putting on the videos to the teacher as a “joke” and did not expect her to play them.

The head teacher of the school viewed the videos after the matter was reported to her. She described them as “pornographic”.

Thompson, who did not attend the disciplinary hearing, claimed that an inappropriate video had only been shown once.

In a written ruling, the GTCS panel said: “The panel regarded the conduct as very serious. The panel noted that the teacher had partially admitted the allegations, which demonstrated partial insight.

“Her response document, however, did not demonstrate any insight into potential damage to the pupils from her behaviour.

“Her previous response did say she was sorry for making pupils feel uncomfortable but she had not realised this was the situation. The teacher had not fully admitted the allegations, or offered a clear expression of regret to the class.

“Because the teacher did not attend the hearing, the panel was unable to question her to ascertain more clearly the level of her insight in order to remediate the conduct and mitigate against the risk of it happening again.

“The panel also determined that the public interest required a finding that the teacher was unfit to teach, given the need to protect children and young people, and the need to maintain the public’s confidence in registrants and in the GTCS as a regulator.”

Thompson cannot apply reregistered for two years.

The panel regarded the conduct as very serious. GENERAL TEACHING COUNCIL FOR SCOTLAND

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