Primary teacher taped 8-year-old pupil to a chair to stop him fidgeting
A teAcher Sellotaped an eight-year-old boy to a chair to stop him fidgeting in his class, a hearing was told yesterday.
Matthew Brown, 38, put the sticky tape on the primary school pupil’s ankles as a joke, it was claimed.
But the child’s father failed to see the funny side and reported him to the head teacher.
Brown, who was working as a supply teacher at Maelgwyn Primary School, in Llandudno, North Wales, was ordered off the premises and told not to return.
It then emerged that he had previously taped the same boy’s hands to his desk and was also accused of taping the hand of an eight-year-old girl to a foam rugby ball to stop her playing with it in class. An education Workforce council hearing found Brown guilty of unacceptable professional conduct.
the panel was told that Brown was immature and would often ‘clown around’ with pupils. he had been teaching 28 children aged seven to nine when the incidents happened in July 2015.
teaching assistant Lena Berno- Jones said that shortly after morning break, Brown came into the classroom and whispered words to the effect: ‘You know [the boy] is a fidgeter. I think I am going to Sellotape his legs to a chair for a laugh.’
She added: ‘I said something like, “Are you sure that is a good idea? I think you should be careful and think about what you are doing.” And he said, “I do. I will do it quickly.” ’
Mrs Berno- Jones said Brown wrapped tape around the youngster’s ankles four times. the boy, who was in short trousers appeared to be laughing.
he was not a known troublemaker and was described as ‘bright and friendly’ by staff.
Mrs Berno- Jones said that a couple of weeks earlier Brown had briefly taped the boy’s hands to a desk to stop him fidgeting and on another occasion she saw a girl with a foam rugby ball taped to her hand.
She told the hearing that such behaviour was not out of character for Brown but she did not view the incidents as serious enough to tell the head.
head teacher Gisella Williams said the boy’s father told her that his son was ‘ extremely reluctant’ to return to school. She was shocked when he told her what had happened.
When confronted, Brown told Mrs Williams he had meant it ‘as a joke’ but accepted he had acted foolishly and was remorseful. She said: ‘I felt his conduct was unprofessional and foolish. I didn’t think he was setting a good example for the children.’
Brown, who qualified as a teacher in August 2010 and had been working at the school on and off since 2014, was not at the hearing in ewloe, Flintshire, and was not represented. In a statement he insisted that the pupils ‘weren’t taped for long’ and there was no malice involved.
Brown, of Llandudno, denied the incidents amounted to unacceptable professional misconduct. he was cleared in relation to the female pupil but found guilty over his treatment of the boy and received a reprimand which will stay on his record for two years. Last night he declined to comment. the hearing was told he has left the teaching register and now works in It.