Former Milnes High School teacher struck off
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A TEACHER who caused the lockdown of a Moray school after shouting at pupils, reducing one to tears, has been struck off.
The General Teaching Council of Scotland (GTCS) found Steven Charlesworth unfit to teach after he appeared before a disciplinary panel last month.
The former Milnes High School maths teacher was found to have breached the GTCS's code of professionalism and conduct during an incident at the school on December 12, 2018.
The panel heard that Mr Charlesworth banged his fists on a table and shouted at third year pupils, saying "who the hell do you think you are?"
Mr Charlesworth's behaviour is said to have caused "distress and alarm" and made pupils feel "unsafe", reducing one to tears.
He is then said to have been asked to leave by the school's headteacher but refused after acting in a "verbally abusive and aggressive" manner towards them.
Police were then called and the school was placed on a partial lockdown. Mr Charlesworth is said to have then returned to the school later that day after being advised not to return.
The panel found that all the allegations against him were proved, declaring Mr Charlesworth unfit to teach before ordering his removal from the register.
In their decision, the GTCS said: "Having regard to all the evidence and submissions, the panel concluded that the teacher has fallen significantly short of the standards expected and so is unfit to teach.
"Standing the nature of the allegations found proved, together with the complete lack of insight and the blaming of both staff and pupils, the panel also considered that the public interest required a finding that the teacher is unfit to teach."
In Mr Charlesworth's account of events he claimed the allegations against him were "exaggerated" adding that while things "got out of hand" he kept his temper under control.
He said on the day of the incident pupils became dissatisfied with the lesson and some started to "grumble".
Mr Charlesworth claimed that the class would not settle even after a "reasonable wait" and it became increasingly "raucous" with pupils laughing and shouting.
Mr Charlesworth asked two pupils to leave, claiming that the second continued to shout at other pupils in the class before slamming the door behind him on his way out.
He added that it was at this point that he "raised his voice" for the first time, shouting at the pupil to leave the classroom.
Mr Charlesworth added that one pupil had started filming him. When asked to put the phone away, Mr Charlesworth says they only "pretended" to do so.
At the end of the lesson, he said that he had planned to keep seven pupils behind but added that the school's deputy head informed him that they would deal with them.
Mr Charlesworth admitted shouting at pupils and returning to the school after being asked to leave but denied the other allegations.
The disciplinary panel considered his testimony but concluded that he was not a "credible or reliable witness".
The watchdog added: "His evidence was at odds with the five other witnesses. On all material issues, the panel preferred the evidence of the GTC Scotland witnesses.
"The teacher did not maintain a consistent position throughout his evidence."
Mr Charlesworth will be removed from the register for a period of two years.
At the expiration of that period, he will be able to apply for re-registration which will be considered by a different panel.
