Text teacher struck off
Said that girl was ‘very beautiful’
AN English teacher who sent “inappropriate” texts and emails to two female pupils has been deemed unfit to practise.
Michael Hendry addressed a student at Glasgow’s John Paul Academy as “sweetie” and signed off with kisses, a hearing was told.
In messages presented to a General Teaching Council for Scotland panel, he asked what the girl was wearing on a night out and told her she was “very beautiful”.
Mr Hendry, who was employed by Glasgow City Council, was not present at last month’s fitness to teach hearing.
The panel said he had frequently sworn and used language that was over-familiar in tone and “easily perceived as sexual innuendo or an indication of intimacy”.
In one message, he told a pupil he would “tickle” her with a feather duster.
The complaint related to inap- propriate communication with two students, Pupil A and Pupil B, between April 1 and June 13 2013.
One of the girls reported her concerns to another teacher, who raised them with the school head.
Mr Hendry discussed Pupil A’s personal relationships and did not alert the school when she wrote that her boyfriend was “aggressive and has hit me a few times”.
He was said to have sent texts concerning the under-18’s “outfit of choice” on a night out, what alcoholic drink she was drinking, and also referred to her as “beautiful, stylish, intelligent [and] funny”.
The hearing was told Mr Hendry “didn’t appear to show any remorse or embarrassment” when asked about the messages.
The panel ruled that he failed to maintain appropriate professional boundaries and uphold standards of personal and professional conduct.
It said: “The panel determined that the respondent’s conduct falls significantly short of the standards expected of a registered teacher and that he is therefore unfit to teach.”
The teacher has the right to appeal the decision within 28 days, at which point he will be removed from the register.
An Orkney headteacher has also been removed from the register at her request over an alleged bullying row at Stromness Academy.
Hilda Learmonth, who retired from her position last summer, admitted creating an atmosphere of fear and oppression, denying staff dignity at work and imposing a management regime to the detriment of many staff.
The GTCS panel removed Ms Learmonth from the register after she waived her right for a full hearing and asked to be removed, ahead of a fitness-to-practise hearing.