Solihull schoolteacher given life ban after punching students and pulling their hair
A Solihull schoolteacher has been banned from the classroom for life after punching, jabbing and pulling the hair of students.
Jason McDermott, 45, was found guilty of misconduct after a disciplinary panel heard he had a history of “recurring violence against pupils” at CTC Kingshurst Academy in Solihull.
The former soldier was said to have punched or jabbed pupils in the stomach or sternum on three separate occasions – while in another incident he had allegedly grabbed the hair of a student.
McDermott taught a BTEC course on Uniformed Services at the school, preparing students for potential jobs with the public services, including the fire brigade and army.
He admitted the allegations and was found guilty of unacceptable conduct by the National Council of Teaching and Leadership disciplinary panel, which imposed the life-time teaching ban.
NCTL official Paul Heathcote said: “Mr McDermott has engaged in a pattern of inappropriate physical contact with pupils over a period of two years.
“The panel have decided that the public interest considerations outweigh the interests of Mr McDermott, particularly as his behaviour involved recurring violence against students of a potentially criminal nature.
“Mr McDermott accepts that what he did was wrong and that he regrets his actions.”
The violent incidents happened between September 2012 and March 2013 and shortly afterwards Mr McDermott was suspended by the school.
He subsequently resigned.
The panel said there had been a “pattern of him engaging in inappropriate physical contact with pupils”, with one incident causing a pupil to be off sick for two days afterwards.
McDermott had said in a statement that physicality between staff and students had always been a part of the relationship on the course and this had included ‘boisterous play between students and himself’.
But in a decision taken on behalf of Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, McDermott will now be banned from teaching in schools, sixth form colleges, relevant youth accommodation or children’s homes for life.
He has a right of appeal to the High Court.
Read more: http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/solihull-schoolteacher-given-life-ban-7536937
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UPDATE 1st August 2014:
Jason McDermott, 45, was told he could never teach again at a disciplinary panel after it was found he had a history of “recurring violence against pupils” at CTC Kingshurst Academy in Solihull.
But yesterday former students defended the Uniformed Services course leader – with many calling him the ‘best teacher they ever had’.
Ex-pupil Paige Griffiths even set up a Facebook page called ‘Support for Jason McDermott’, to show her backing to the teacher – which has received 1,908 likes.
Paige was also invited to speak on BBC Radio WM this morning.
“Everyone who knows Jason knows he’s the best teacher ever to have been at CTC,” she wrote. “We love you Jason!”
Paige, 18, said the ex-soldier’s lessons had a subtle military feel to them and he would sometimes prod students, ‘jokingly punch them’ and make them do army style push up drills if they misbehaved.
“We used to do banter,” said Paige. “It was sort of like play fighting, it was joking around.
“It may have looked violent, but it wasn’t like that.
“Everyone who has liked the Facebook page is in support of him. The decision to ban him is unfair.”
Now Paige hopes that her group might help Mr McDermott if he decided to appeal the ban in the future.
“If he does appeal it, then all of us showing our support could help him out,” she added.
There have been many messages of support for the banned teacher, who was said to have punched one student in the stomach and pulled another’s hair.
“I didn’t always see eye to eye with him,” said former pupil Keir Herbert, “But he was a very, very good teacher. He would never hurt anyone on purpose. It was never malicious, it was always banter.
“It’s been taken out of context. He could be physical but in a joking manner. He was very respectful. He is a good man.”