Woman is banned from teaching after assault during a night out
A Washington teacher has been banned from teaching after admitting two assault convictions.
The Teacher Regulation Agency Professional Conduct PanelheardhowAimeeGreen, 29, had been convicted of two countsofassaultbybeatingfollowing an incident at the Mile Castle Pub, in Newcastle, on June 15, 2019.
In a statement to the panel, Ms Green, who was teaching at Oxclose Community Academyatthetime,admittedtothe convictionsandexpressedher remorse for the incident.
She said: “I had never met the girls before that night and I’m absolutely devastated by my actions. I have put shame not only on myself but my family and Oxclose Academy.
"I hope and pray every day I get to keep my job and keep being part of the Oxclose family.”
However, despite her plea, thepanelrecommendedtothe secretaryofstatethatMsGreen isprohibitedfromteachingindefinitely.
In the panel report, decision-maker Sarah Buxcey stated:"ThismeansthatMsAimee Green is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England.
"She may apply for the prohibition order to be set aside, but not until 18 August 2024, threeyearsfromthedateofthis orderattheearliest.Thisisnot an automatic right to have the
prohibition order removed.”
While the panel accepted the incident had not taken place in a school setting or involvedpupils,duetotheviolent nature of the offence she was in “serious” breach of Teacher’s Standards and in particular “to uphold public trust in
the profession and maintain high standards of ethics and behaviour, within and outside school”.
A statement from the panel reportadded:“Wealsotookaccount of the way the teaching profession is viewed by others and,inparticular,notedtheinfluencethatteachersmayhave on pupils, parents and others in the community.
"The panel considered that Ms Green’s behaviour in committing the offence of assault bybeatingwhilstonanightout would likely negatively affect the public’s confidence in the teaching profession.
"The public would not expect any member of society to act in the way Ms Green had done, let alone a member of the teaching profession.”
In taking the decision to ban Ms Green from teaching, thepanelsaidtheybelievedthe actionwas“bothproportionate and appropriate”.
MsGreenwasappointedon February 2, 2015, as a learning support assistant at Oxclose Community Academy before taking up the post as an unqualified teacher on June 5, 2019.
Following a hearing at North Northumbria Magistrates’ Court on September 11, 2019, Ms Green pleaded guilty to two counts of assault during a night out drinking with friends.
She was ordered to pay a fine, compensation and costs and was made subject to an exclusion order from the Mile Castle.
A statement from Discover Learning Trust, who run the school, said: “We are currently reviewing the professional conduct hearing judgement publishedyesterday.Thetrust and school will be making no further comment until this review is complete."
Ms Green has a right to appeal the ban through the Queen’s Bench Division of the High Court.