Latest news with #teacherconduct
Free Malaysia Today
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Teacher suspended over alleged affair
Education minister Fadhlina Sidek said her ministry took such matters seriously, whether or not they were shared on social media. PETALING JAYA : A secondary school teacher in a southern state has been suspended from teaching following allegations that she had an affair, education minister Fadhlina Sidek said today. She said her ministry is currently conducting an internal investigation, as the matter involved teacher integrity and conduct, Sinar Harian reported. However, Fadhlina said the teacher is still working pending the investigation. 'She has only been suspended from her teaching duties. We need her to help out in the investigation process,' she was quoted as saying. Fadhlina said her ministry took such matters seriously, whether or not they were shared on social media. 'We are responsible for ensuring that all our teachers comply with standards of integrity and teachers' ethics set by the ministry,' she said. Fadhlina reminded all teachers to watch their conduct both within and outside the school. The case has gone viral on social media, with people sharing video clips of the man's wife confronting the teacher. Also shared were screenshots of lewd conversations on WhatsApp, said to be between the cheating pair.
BBC News
15-05-2025
- BBC News
Bolton teacher who drank cider in classroom banned by regulator
A teacher who walked into a door after drinking cider in his classroom from cans and a school-branded water bottle has been banned from the Downs admitted consuming alcohol at Westhoughton High School in Bolton, Greater Manchester, and that it was unacceptable professional conduct.A Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel hearing on 25 April considered that Downs had "put pupils at risk of harm by consuming alcohol on the school site and being under the influence whilst having pupils in his care".He was banned from teaching indefinitely, subject to a review after two years, after the panel noted the 36-year-old had acknowledged wrongdoing and shown "some insight and remorse". 'Cans in the bin' In a written statement, a worker at the school said she "could smell alcohol" coming from Downs on 3 July employee, referred to as Individual B, said she "discreetly removed his wastepaper bin [from his classroom] to review the contents and she saw three cider cans at the bottom".The witness also said Downs "admitted that he had three cans of cider in his classroom when no students were there, and he put the cans in the bin".Individual B said another member of staff came to her the following day to raise concerns about alcohol being found in a school-branded plastic said it had been found in Downs' classroom, at the far edge of his review, she said it contained "around 3cm of cider at the bottom". 'Maintaining public confidence' Another school employee, Individual A, noted that Downs was not speaking in his usual manner on 3 July 2023, adding that the teacher had "walked into the main building door".On behalf of the Education Secretary, TRA decision-maker Marc Cavey said: "I have considered whether a two-year review period reflects the seriousness of the findings and is a proportionate period to achieve the aim of maintaining public confidence in the profession."In this case, factors mean that allowing such a review period is sufficient."He said Downs needed "necessary time to develop full insight into his behaviour and, in doing so, demonstrate that he does not pose a risk to the wellbeing of pupils in the future". Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
The Independent
14-05-2025
- The Independent
Teacher banned from the classroom after drinking cider in school and walking into door
A teacher who walked into a door after drinking cans of cider in his classroom has been banned from teaching. Jon Downs, 36, a religious studies teacher at Westhoughton High School in Bolton, was prohibited from teaching after he admitted to a professional conduct panel that he had consumed alcohol on school premises. A witness giving evidence to the disciplinary panel for the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) reported that Mr Downs' behaviour was 'quite out of character' on 3 July 2023. The panel heard 'there had been a smell of alcohol [from Mr Downs] whilst walking across the school yard'. One employee, referred to as Individual A, said that Mr Downs 'questioned the way to her office, despite having been there on multiple occasions'. Another witness claimed Mr Downs then walked straight into the main building door, a 'door he frequently used'. She stated that his behaviour did not appear normal, and as they sat in an office, she could 'smell alcohol coming from him'. The member of staff said she left the room briefly and returned to Mr Downs' classroom where she 'discreetly' searched his wastepaper bin, finding three empty cider cans. She returned to confront the teacher, who allegedly admitted to finishing the cans of cider in his classroom when no students were there. The next day, another staff member found a school-branded plastic bottle with 3cm of cider left at the bottom on the far side Mr Downs' desk. Reviewing photos of the cider cans and Mr Downs' admissions to having consumed alcohol on school premises with pupils in his care, the teaching panel was satisfied that Mr Downs' actions put pupils at risk of potential harm. Marc Cavey, chief executive of the Teaching Regulation Agency, said: 'The panel noted that there was some insight and remorse on the part of Mr Downs and did note that Mr Downs acknowledged his wrongdoing. 'In my judgement, the lack of evidence that Mr Downs has developed full insight into his behaviour means that there is some risk of the repetition of this behaviour and this puts at risk the future wellbeing of pupils.' The panel found Mr Downs guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and he was barred from teaching indefinitely. He may apply for the prohibition order to be set aside in two years' time, the teaching regulatory panel added.
BBC News
07-05-2025
- BBC News
No ban for Lincoln teacher found over limit after crash
No ban for teacher found over limit after crash 13 minutes ago Share Save Share Save Google Siobhan Clarke was arrested after driving to the Priory Academy LSST in Lincoln A teacher has avoided a ban from the profession after a panel heard she was involved in a crash, drove her damaged car to school and was found to be about three times over the drink-driving limit. Siobhan Clarke arrived at the Priory Academy LSST in Lincoln in her "crumpled" car with a cracked windscreen and deflated airbags in January 2023, the Teaching Regulation Agency panel was told. The school's headteacher called the police after they found the maths teacher "seemed very muddled" and smelled of alcohol. However, the panel heard Mrs Clarke was remorseful and found it had been "a one-off incident". Mrs Clarke drove to the school after being involved in a crash with a colleague on the way to work, the panel heard. Police arrived and breathalysed her. She was then arrested and taken to a police station where she failed to provide a second breath sample. Following a guilty plea, she was convicted of failing to provide a specimen and disqualified from driving for 12 months, the hearing was told. The colleague she crashed into said they had stopped at traffic lights at a pedestrian crossing. As the lights turned green, a car "hit the rear of their vehicle", the hearing was told. 'Slurring her words' The colleague did not think Mrs Clarke would be able to drive her car away because it was "very crumpled and... the air bags had gone off". Mrs Clarke "appeared very confused, she kept repeating herself and wasn't finishing her sentences", the colleague told the panel. "As she was talking she was slurring her words." Mrs Clarke was employed as a maths teacher from September 2014, having previously worked at the school as a learning assistant. She resigned after the incident, telling the panel she was "immensely sorry" for her actions. The panel reported that it was satisfied that Mrs Clarke was guilty of unacceptable professional conduct. It also found that her actions "constituted conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute". However, it also found that Mrs Clarke had expressed remorse and there was no evidence of a risk of repetition of the incident. David Oatley, on behalf of the secretary of state, agreed with the panel's finding that a prohibition order was not proportionate and Mrs Clarke was not banned from teaching. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. More on this story Teacher charged after failing to provide specimen
The Independent
07-05-2025
- The Independent
Drunk teacher crashes into colleague before driving to school in wrecked car
A maths teacher who was three times over the legal drink-drive limit arrived at school in a wrecked car after crashing in a colleague on her way to work, the teaching regulator has heard. The car teacher Siobhan Clarke was driving had a cracked windscreen and deflated airbags. At the scene of the accident, she pulled out her bank card thinking it was her phone and then drove her 'crumpled' car onto the school's site. The Teaching Regulation Agency panel also heard that Ms Clarke was found in a classroom smelling of alcohol and 'very muddled.' She was arrested at the school after police found her to be over the legal drink-drive limit, the hearing was told. Mrs Clarke was employed as a maths teacher at The Priory Academy in Lincoln from September 2014, having previously worked there as a learning assistant, the panel heard. The teacher admitted that on her way to work at the school in January 2023, she was involved in a crash, left the scene of the accident and drove her damaged car onto the school's site. The 'disorientated' Mrs Clarke then walked from her parked car 'with the intention of taking her normal class' and went to her classroom to teach, the panel was told. The colleague she crashed into said they had been stopped at traffic lights at a pedestrian crossing. As the lights turned green, a car 'hit the rear of their vehicle', the hearing was told. 'They recognised the driver as a teacher at the School at which they also worked,' the panel heard. The colleague did not think Mrs Clarke would be able to drive her car away because it was 'very crumpled and … the air bags had gone off,' the hearing was told. The maths teacher 'rummaged in her handbag for her phone but instead pulled out her bank card', the panel heard. Mrs Clarke 'appeared very confused, she kept repeating herself and wasn't finishing her sentences. I would describe her as incoherent,' the colleague told the panel, adding: 'As she was talking she was slurring her words.' After the incident was reported, the school's headteacher went to look for Mrs Clarke and found her in the maths department, the panel was told. The headteacher decided to call the police because they could smell alcohol and said she 'seemed very muddled', the panel heard. The teacher was breathalysed, and found to be around three times over the legal limit, the hearing was told. She was arrested and taken to the police station where she failed to provide a breath sample. Mrs Clarke was later convicted following a guilty plea, and disqualified from driving for12 months, the hearing was told. When school staff went to look at her car they saw 'both airbags, deflated, the windscreen was cracked and there was damage to the front', the panel heard. She resigned from the school the same month, telling the panel she was 'immensely sorry' for her actions. David Oatley, on behalf of the Secretary of State, agreed with the panel's recommendation that it had been 'a one-off incident', and drew short of banning Mrs Clarke from teaching.
