A high-school teacher in England who got drunk and took some of his students to a strip club during a school trip has been banned from teaching for 3 years.
Richard Glenn was an IT teacher at the exclusive Longridge Towers school, where it costs £4,850 a term for day pupils. The incident occurred while the school was on a trip to Costa Rica.
At a Teaching Regulation Agency inquiry, Mr. Glenn admitted gross misconduct. The students in his group were aged 16 to 18.
He had been sent home from the school trip by other members of staff due to his behaviour, which included extreme drunkenness and exposing himself to another member of staff, though it was accepted that this was not done with a sexual intent.
The inquiry read out the following charges:
Drinking with pupils. Allowing one or more pupils to drink alcohol despite being under the legal age of 18. Threatening to "kick the head in" of one pupil and "kill" another. Telling one pupil: "I'm not in trouble - you'll be in trouble". After being aggressive to one pupil, he kissed the boy's forehead and told him "you're all right". Taking one or more pupils to a strip club. Acting aggressively towards the woman leading the trip when she tried to help him back to his tent. Exposing himself to a woman in a shared hotel room, although it was agreed this was not "malicious or sexually motivated". The panel said his behaviour "placed one or more pupils in his care at risk".
Mr. Glenn did not dispute the actions but said that he was too drunk to remember most of it.
The panel report read:
"Mr. Glenn was, at various times during the school trip, under the influence of alcohol, and therefore not in a position to adequately take decisions or act in loco parentis should the need arise. This was in circumstances where pupils under his care were in an unfamiliar country, far from home, and relying on him for guidance and protection. Mr Glenn was an experienced teacher and pastoral leader who would have been expected to lead an overseas trip safely, and would have been well aware of the conduct expected of him."
Mr. Glenn will be permitted to teach again after the 3 year ban expires.
[h/t: BBC]
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