Latest news with #teacherconduct
Daily Mail
03-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Teacher who 'swigged from alcohol-smelling drink as she swore at pupils and tried to get them to dance the Macarena' is struck off
A teacher who 'swigged' from a bottle containing an 'alcoholic-smelling drink' before swearing at pupils as she tried to get them to dance the Macarena has been struck off. Alice Ashton was 'smiley and happy' as she was 'swigging' from a bottle but then became 'agitated', swore, and made rude hand gestures, one teenager claimed. It was today found proven that she appeared under the influence and/or smelt of alcohol whilst at work. She was struck off the teaching register indefinitely but may reapply in two years. Giving evidence in person on the second day of a professional standards hearing the 16-year-old said Ashton drank orange liquid which smelled of alcohol throughout a personal and social education lesson. The normally quiet teacher at Ysgol Bro Caereinion in Welshpool played music from her laptop and was behaving out of character during the 'rave-like' lesson, the Education Workforce Council (EWC) Wales panel heard on Tuesday July 1. When the class became unsettled, Ashton shouted and swore at at least two pupils as well as telling the whole class they were 'little s***s', the remote hearing was told. The 16-year-old pupil, referred to only as Pupil H to protect her identity, told the panel how pupils discussed afterwards how odd the teacher's behaviour had been. She was later interviewed as part of an investigation by the school into the matter. The teenager said Ashton had taught her PSE numerous times before the lesson in January 2024 when she had behaved differently from usual. The pupil said Ashton's 'boring' PSE lessons followed content she was familiar with and included alcohol and drug awareness but not on that day. Sitting in the front row of the class Pupil H said she was near enough to smell alcohol, mixed with what appeared to be orange squash, contained in an Evian water bottle. The bottle was full at the start of the lesson and almost empty by the end, the pupil added. 'She was very, very close to us. There was a slight alcoholic smell,' they said. 'She was very, very lively and quite animated and speaking with her hands. In other lessons she was more reserved and quiet.' Pupil H continued: 'Alice Ashton had an Evian bottle with orange juice. I noticed she was regularly taking swigs from the bottle. Ashton faced the following allegations at the EWC hearing 1. On September 19, 2023, at Telford Magistrates' Court, was convicted of driving with an alcohol over the limit on August 19, 2023, and as a consequence was sentenced to a 12-month community order, 200 hours of unpaid work, and disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for 28 months. 2. On or around January 17, 2024, appeared under the influence and/or smelt of alcohol whilst at work. 3. On one or more dates in or around January 2024 acted in an inappropriate and/or unprofessional manner towards and/or in front of pupil(s), in that she: a) said 'f***' and/or 's***', or words to that effect; and/or b) told pupil(s) to 'suck it' and/or 'f*** off', or words to that effect; and/or c) called pupil(s) 'divvys' and/or 'little s***s', and/or 'little bitch', or words to that effect; and/or d) did not allow Pupil G and/or Pupil J to leave the classroom; and/or e) in response to Pupil G saying he would 'snitch', you said 'be my guest, while you go we will slag you off', and/or 'don't snitch', or words to that effect; and/or; f) put her middle finger up and/or made a 'V' sign with your fingers at Pupil G. 'I recall Alice Ashton asked the class to make the Macarena. She played music and we were not doing work.' The teenager described how Ashton 'kept jumping up from her desk' but became 'irritated' as the lesson went on. One pupil, referred to as Pupil J, wanted to put a certain song on but the teacher didn't want him to and when he played it on her laptop, the teacher 'swore and yelled at him'. Another pupil, Pupil G, was walking around the classroom 'annoying' people before Ashton told him to go out of the room but warned him 'not to snitch'. 'She began to swear at him. She put her middle finger two to three inches from his face and continued to swear at him,' Pupil H told the committee. The teacher then turned her annoyance on the class, she claimed. 'Alice Ashton swore at the whole class because we became rowdy.' Ashton was not present and not represented at the hearing and did not make any responses to the raft of allegations she faces, which means the allegations would usually be taken as denied. But she did email the EWC last summer saying she was no longer working as a teacher, was no longer in Wales, and had moved to England. Some of the responses Ashton had given to the school's inquiry were also detailed by EWC presenting officer Lewis Harrison. He said that Ashton had denied swearing or singing to the class when interviewed by the inquiry. CCTV footage of the class was also shown to the committee in private. Describing what the footage showed, Mr Harrison said it was totally at odds with Ashton's denials to the school's investigation. He said Ashton had claimed she played music at the end of the lesson only and may have sung along to it quietly but 'I would not have been singing to the class'. Mr Harrison said this was 'untenable' given the CCTV footage. 'It is totally untenable to suggest the music is being played as background music. The evidence is very clear that Miss Ashton did not remain at the front of the class. She invited pupils to dance,' he told the hearing. Mr Harrison also described in more detail how other pupils had described what happened during the class during the school's investigation. One child, Pupil A, said: 'She (Ashton) was slipping with swear words, talking a lot less formally, and having been so irresponsible it felt like a mini rave with loud music, shouting, and dancing.' Pupil A added that Ashton was 'acting crazy', her walking was wobbly, and she was 'not acting like a teacher'. Another said: 'She got us to dance the Macarena and she did not care about the lesson anymore... she got some students dancing to the laptop and speakers and it spiralled out of control.' Another pupil described how Ashton had told Pupil G to 'sit the f*** down'. At the start of the hearing the panel was told by the school investigator that the orange liquid Ashton had was tested for alcohol by the school. But she had not taken that into consideration because the school did not have an alcohol testing policy. Mr Harrison said evidence from pupils was clear that the liquid Ashton was drinking during the lesson that day smelled of alcohol and that she was presenting as being under the influence and acting out of character. The panel must decide whether any or all the allegations are proved and, if so, whether individually or collectively they amount to unacceptable profession. Ysgol Bro Caereinion, a bilingual, all age school, has more than 500 pupils aged four to 16. The school opened in September 2021 following the merger of Ysgol Gynradd Llanfair Caereinion and Ysgol Uwchradd Caereinion.
Daily Mail
03-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Teacher 'swigged from alcohol-smelling drink as she swore at pupils and tried to get them to dance the Macarena'
Pupils have described how a teacher allegedly drank alcohol during a lesson and played music as she tried to get the class to dance the Macarena. Alice Ashton was 'smiley and happy' as she was 'swigging' from a bottle but then became 'agitated', swore, and made rude hand gestures, one teenager claimed. Giving evidence in person on the second day of a professional standards hearing the 16-year-old said Ashton drank orange liquid which smelled of alcohol throughout a personal and social education lesson. The normally quiet teacher at Ysgol Bro Caereinion in Welshpool played music from her laptop and was behaving out of character during the 'rave-like' lesson, the Education Workforce Council (EWC) Wales panel heard on Tuesday July 1. When the class became unsettled, Ashton shouted and swore at at least two pupils as well as telling the whole class they were 'little s***s', the remote hearing was told. The 16-year-old pupil, referred to only as Pupil H to protect her identity, told the panel how pupils discussed afterwards how odd the teacher's behaviour had been. She was later interviewed as part of an investigation by the school into the matter. The teenager said Ashton had taught her PSE numerous times before the lesson in January 2024 when she had behaved differently from usual. The pupil said Ashton's 'boring' PSE lessons followed content she was familiar with and included alcohol and drug awareness but not on that day. Sitting in the front row of the class Pupil H said she was near enough to smell alcohol, mixed with what appeared to be orange squash, contained in an Evian water bottle. The bottle was full at the start of the lesson and almost empty by the end, the pupil added. 'She was very, very close to us. There was a slight alcoholic smell,' they said. 'She was very, very lively and quite animated and speaking with her hands. In other lessons she was more reserved and quiet.' Pupil H continued: 'Alice Ashton had an Evian bottle with orange juice. I noticed she was regularly taking swigs from the bottle. Ashton faces the following allegations at the EWC hearing 1. On September 19, 2023, at Telford Magistrates' Court, was convicted of driving with an alcohol over the limit on August 19, 2023, and as a consequence was sentenced to a 12-month community order, 200 hours of unpaid work, and disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for 28 months. 2. On or around January 17, 2024, appeared under the influence and/or smelt of alcohol whilst at work. 3. On one or more dates in or around January 2024 acted in an inappropriate and/or unprofessional manner towards and/or in front of pupil(s), in that she: a) said 'f***' and/or 's***', or words to that effect; and/or b) told pupil(s) to 'suck it' and/or 'f*** off', or words to that effect; and/or c) called pupil(s) 'divvys' and/or 'little s***s', and/or 'little bitch', or words to that effect; and/or d) did not allow Pupil G and/or Pupil J to leave the classroom; and/or e) in response to Pupil G saying he would 'snitch', you said 'be my guest, while you go we will slag you off', and/or 'don't snitch', or words to that effect; and/or; f) put her middle finger up and/or made a 'V' sign with your fingers at Pupil G. 'I recall Alice Ashton asked the class to make the Macarena. She played music and we were not doing work.' The teenager described how Ashton 'kept jumping up from her desk' but became 'irritated' as the lesson went on. One pupil, referred to as Pupil J, wanted to put a certain song on but the teacher didn't want him to and when he played it on her laptop, the teacher 'swore and yelled at him'. Another pupil, Pupil G, was walking around the classroom 'annoying' people before Ashton told him to go out of the room but warned him 'not to snitch'. 'She began to swear at him. She put her middle finger two to three inches from his face and continued to swear at him,' Pupil H told the committee. The teacher then turned her annoyance on the class, she claimed. 'Alice Ashton swore at the whole class because we became rowdy.' Ashton was not present and not represented at the hearing and did not make any responses to the raft of allegations she faces, which means the allegations would usually be taken as denied. But she did email the EWC last summer saying she was no longer working as a teacher, was no longer in Wales, and had moved to England. Some of the responses Ashton had given to the school's inquiry were also detailed by EWC presenting officer Lewis Harrison. He said that Ashton had denied swearing or singing to the class when interviewed by the inquiry. CCTV footage of the class was also shown to the committee in private. Describing what the footage showed, Mr Harrison said it was totally at odds with Ashton's denials to the school's investigation. He said Ashton had claimed she played music at the end of the lesson only and may have sung along to it quietly but 'I would not have been singing to the class'. Mr Harrison said this was 'untenable' given the CCTV footage. 'It is totally untenable to suggest the music is being played as background music. The evidence is very clear that Miss Ashton did not remain at the front of the class. She invited pupils to dance,' he told the hearing. Mr Harrison also described in more detail how other pupils had described what happened during the class during the school's investigation. One child, Pupil A, said: 'She (Ashton) was slipping with swear words, talking a lot less formally, and having been so irresponsible it felt like a mini rave with loud music, shouting, and dancing.' Pupil A added that Ashton was 'acting crazy', her walking was wobbly, and she was 'not acting like a teacher'. Another said: 'She got us to dance the Macarena and she did not care about the lesson anymore... she got some students dancing to the laptop and speakers and it spiralled out of control.' Another pupil described how Ashton had told Pupil G to 'sit the f*** down'. At the start of the hearing the panel was told by the school investigator that the orange liquid Ashton had was tested for alcohol by the school. But she had not taken that into consideration because the school did not have an alcohol testing policy. Mr Harrison said evidence from pupils was clear that the liquid Ashton was drinking during the lesson that day smelled of alcohol and that she was presenting as being under the influence and acting out of character. The panel must decide whether any or all the allegations are proved and, if so, whether individually or collectively they amount to unacceptable profession. Ysgol Bro Caereinion, a bilingual, all age school, has more than 500 pupils aged four to 16. The school opened in September 2021 following the merger of Ysgol Gynradd Llanfair Caereinion and Ysgol Uwchradd Caereinion. The hearing continues.
Telegraph
27-06-2025
- Telegraph
Teacher who bit child can still work ‘because her record is otherwise unblemished'
A primary school deputy head teacher who bit, slapped and scratched a child can continue to work because she 'otherwise appeared to have an unblemished record'. Claire Herbert, who worked at the Red Rose Primary School in Chester-le-Street, Co Durham, got into an argument with the girl that became physical on June 18 2022. The child was left with reddening and bruises on her skin after the row, according to a Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) tribunal. When visited by police three days later, the girl said the teacher had caused two bite marks to her hand and head, scratched her with false nails and called her fat. Photographs of the child's injuries showed various red marks, scratches and bruising to parts of her body, including her face, neck, leg and hand, the tribunal heard. The incident took place outside the education setting, and alcohol appeared to have been involved. 'It is a blur' In an email responding to the incident in October last year, Miss Herbert said: 'I have read and considered the attached paperwork, and I will admit to all allegations listed although it is a blur.' She had worked at the school since April 2019 and also held the role of deputy safeguarding lead, the tribunal heard. Miss Herbert accepted a conditional police caution in December 2022 for the offence of common assault on the child. A TRA panel found the teacher guilty of unacceptable professional conduct that could bring the profession into disrepute. However, it stopped short of recommending a permanent banning order for Miss Herbert as she 'otherwise appeared to have an unblemished record'. 'The panel was mindful that this was an isolated incident which it considered, taking into account the mitigating circumstances and wider context, sat at the less serious end of the possible spectrum of severity,' it said. Character references provided to the panel commented positively on Miss Herbert's abilities as a teacher and said that she normally demonstrated high standards of personal and professional conduct. 'Limited risk of repetition' Miss Herbert, who also sustained injuries from the incident, had shown 'genuine and significant regret, remorse and insight' for her conduct and had been honest about what happened, the panel said. Marc Cavey, the TRA chief executive acting on behalf of the Education Secretary, said: 'In my judgment, the extent of the insight and remorse demonstrated by Miss Herbert, when considered alongside the isolated nature of the misconduct found and the mitigating circumstances that were present, means that there is only a very limited risk of the repetition of this behaviour. 'I have therefore given this element considerable weight in reaching my decision.'
CTV News
24-06-2025
- CTV News
B.C. teacher suspended over comments on ‘physical appearance' of students
An inclusion teacher in B.C.'s Fraser Valley has been suspended over comments he made about the 'physical appearance' of students. Robert Luke Acheson was working at a Chilliwack high school when the incidents took place during the 2022-23 school year, according to a consent agreement he signed with B.C.'s Commissioner for Teacher Regulation. Inclusion teachers support students with diverse needs, and the agreement notes that Acheson had a 'caseload of students identified as vulnerable' in his role. According to the document, Acheson made comments to students about their physical appearance – and the physical appearance of one of his colleagues – on 'several occasions' that year. He also shared two personal anecdotes with students that 'included inappropriate content of a sexual nature.' The consent agreement does not provide specific details on the teacher's remarks, but indicates the district disciplined Acheson at the time by barring him from taking any 'assignments that worked with vulnerable students.' He was also suspended 15 days without pay in June 2023, and ordered to complete a course on professional boundaries. B.C.'s Commissioner for Teacher Regulation ordered a follow-up investigation later that year, and decided to issue an additional one-day suspension of Acheson's teaching certificate.
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.
