Ex-Queen Ethelburga teacher banned for pupil relationship

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-42633983

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A former teacher who had a sexual relationship with a sixth form pupil has been banned from teaching for life.

Dr Howard Britton, 64, taught economics at fee-paying Queen Ethelburga's School, near York, between 2001 and 2005.

A disciplinary panel heard his sexual relationship with the girl began on the day of her final exams.

Dr Britton stopped teaching after the relationship ended due to his "disgust" at his behaviour, the panel heard.

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The hearing, led by the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL), found Dr Britton struck up a relationship with the 18-year-old girl - known as Pupil A - in early 2005.

Between January and June he had accepted the girl's number, exchanged flirtatious and sexual text messages, discussed meeting her outside of school and invited her to his home. He also held hands with her and touched her legs.

The relationship became sexual in June and July.

Pupil A said in evidence she initiated the flirtatious text messages with Dr Britton and he had responded.

Abused trust

He claimed he replied "in order to frighten her off" as he believed she was pursuing a campaign of sexual harassment against him.

He was concerned but said he had not had the training or support to deal with the situation.

The panel did not believe this was credible due to his lengthy teaching experience.

He told the hearing Pupil A had left the school by the time they became sexually intimate but the panel found the relationship had escalated while she was still at the school.

It said Dr Britton had shown unacceptable professional conduct and "that may bring the teaching profession into disrepute".

He also failed to show "insight into the particular dynamics of the teacher and pupil relationship" and had abused his position of trust.