Teacher reference did not mention ‘touches’

A teacher at Scotland’s oldest boarding school was given a job reference which did not disclose he had been issued with a final warning for using “inappropriate language” and “touching students to a degree they did not like”, an inquiry has heard.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, taught at Loretto School in Musselburgh, East Lothian, and was put on a final written warning in 2007 which said “we cannot possibly have a repeat of this behaviour”, the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry heard yesterday.

A former senior staff member, who has chosen to remain anonymous, told the inquiry: “I felt he was someone I needed to keep an eye on.”

The hearing was told a job reference was provided for the man which did not alert any potential employers to his record of behaviour.

The staff member added: “We had a member of staff who behaved in a particular way and showed a very poor judgment... he used very inappropriate language in front of some students.”

Inquiry chairwoman Lady Smith interjected: “And was touching them to a degree they did not like... Surely the norm should be to tell the school asking for a reference what’s on record so far as the teacher’s disciplinary record is concerned?

“Particularly if it involved behaviour toward children.

“If you tell the prospective employers about it surely that puts them in a position to explore it with the candidate at interview... the interests of children must come first, not the interests of teachers.”

The former staff member added: “A reference mentioning his final written warning is essentially the end of his teaching career elsewhere.”