Published date: 24 February 2016 |
Published by: Rebecca ColeRead more articles by Rebecca Cole Email reporter
A TEACHER has been accused of getting drunk with students and sending “flirty” texts.
David Gardner was a lecturer in law and sociology at the Denbigh and Abergele campuses of Grwp Llandrillo Menai when the incidents were alleged to have taken place on an educational trip to London at the end of March last year.
The allegations made against Mr Gardner, which are the subject of an ongoing Education Workforce Council (EWC) fitness to practise hearing, also include allowing students to drink in a minibus on the way to London, not accompanying them on planned visits and not responding to their calls, and telling students how they would be graded.
Mr Gardner was not in attendance at the hearing which started in Ewloe, Flintshire today but several students and the college’s HR manager Karen Nelson gave evidence.
Nine students from Denbigh and Abergele, the youngest of which was 19, went on the trip which the presenting officer Cadi Dewi described as featuring a “catalogue of errors”.
Miss Dewi said a number of students made complaints that Mr Gardner’s behaviour was “unprofessional” and “inappropriate” and he was dismissed at a disciplinary hearing in June.
His appeal against the decision was not successful.
The hearing was also told Mr Gardner failed to inform his supervisor that a female member of staff who had planned to lead the group with Mr Gardner had pulled out at short notice - the college’s rules state a male and female member of staff should go on any trip with a mixed sex group.
A student referred to as Learner 10 to protect their identity said Mr Gardner had used the student’s phone to send “flirty” messages to another classmate on the trip implying they should get together.
When Learner 10 realised what Mr Gardner had done he asked him to apologise to the other student.
The teacher agreed but then sent a few more texts in the same style which Learner 10 said embarrassed him.
“I didn’t want to cause the learner any offence,” he said.
“I didn’t want them to think it was me who sent those awful messages.”
A student referred to as Learner 2 claimed he heard Mr Gardner tell a classmate that if they lied and said he had shown them round the Houses of Parliament he would “guarantee a good grade”, adding that he gave students grades based on what he thought of the person not their work.
“He also said ‘what happens in London, stays in London’,” the student added.
Ms Nelson said Mr Gardner should have stopped the consumption of alcohol in the minibus, saying “they could’ve caused an accident.”
In relation to his failure to take them to the Houses of Parliament and lateness in meeting them at 10 Downing Street, Ms Nelson added: “A group said they felt left out and let down and some learners said Dave Gardner had abandoned them.
“He said he had not expected them to be up so early on Saturday and he wouldn’t have gone to the Houses of Parliament anyway because he had been before and they did audio tours,” she added.
Mr Gardner also allegedly told students he was “golden” and could do whatever he wanted because he had friends high up.
The teacher denied telling the group he gave grades based on the person not their work but acknowledged he should not have engaged in the text messaging for which he did apologise to the students involved.
Ms Nelson added: “The text messages made a joke at the learners’ expense, I felt they were inappropriate.
“Not to engage in such behaviour was common sense.
“He didn’t appear to be sorry despite time for reflection but he acknowledged he could have done things differently and better.”
see-http://www.rhyljournal.co.uk/news/158987/teacher-accused-of-drinking-with-students-and-sending-flirty-texts.aspx
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