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Sex-talk sir's classroom ban
A teacher who used sexual terms in lessons and was "over familiar" with female students has been banned from the classroom for three years.
Ian Graham was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct by the General Teaching Council after his comments saw him sacked from Durham Gilesgate Sports College and Sixth Form Centre.
The former English teacher – who had previously worked at Houghton Kepier School – was struck off for three years after admitting using language of a sexual nature and making comments about students.
He faced allegations of being over-familiar with students, showing a lack of punctuality, failing to send work in when absent, and failing to adequately manage pupil behaviour.
The committee at the GTC hearing in Birmingham heard Mr Graham also walked out of a lesson 10 minutes early because he was "extremely frustrated" at his class and wanted to "shock them".
The sexualised comments made by Mr Graham included asking a class if he should draw a penis on the board and referring to women's genitalia as part of a teaching analogy.
The committee also heard he announced to a full classroom one female student had "been with everyone in the class" in a previous teaching job at Houghton Kepier Sports College in Houghton.
Mr Graham, from Durham, had defended his actions, and claimed to have suffered from depression at the time of the allegations.
But the GTC panel rejected this explanation, as he provided no medical evidence.
The chairwoman of the committee, Anne Garner, said: "Mr Graham's behaviour fell seriously short of that expected in the profession.
"His actions were seriously demeaning and undermining to his pupils, and he clearly didn't understand the boundaries between teacher and student."
Sue Hyland, headteacher of Houghton Kepier, said, when giving evidence at the hearing: "I had very serious concerns about his professionalism on more than one occasion."
Representing Mr Graham, Alan Porter said: "He was nervous and silly and resorted to a more jocular style with which he was more comfortable. He is still a relatively inexperienced teacher and has paid a high price for his mistakes."
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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