Teacher Banned

13 October 2010, 14:22 | Updated: 13 October 2010, 14:34

A grammar school teacher has been banned from the profession for two years after asking a pupil ``Do you want to make babies?'', it was announced today.



Frank de Groot also swore in front of his Year 11 class and threw a board pen at a Year 10 student at Rainham Mark Grammar School in Rainham, Kent.

The General Teaching Council (GTC) for England said in a report that it found his actions ``amount to unacceptable professional conduct''.

Although Mr de Groot denied asking a Year 10 pupil words to the effect of ``Do you want to make babies?'' in January 2007, the GTC said it found the contradicting evidence of two pupils ``consistent and credible''.

In a statement announcing the decision of the GTC's professional conduct committee, it said the inappropriate words were ``demeaning'' to the pupil.

It added that he admitted throwing a board pen at a Year 10 pupil in the same month and also disclosed details of a confidential meeting to his Year 11 class a month later.

Mr de Groot, who did not attend the hearing, also admitted using inappropriate language, including the words f*** and pissed off, in front of his Year 11 class in February 2007.

In its report, the GTC told him: ``The committee did not consider that in the circumstances of this case, it would be appropriate not to order a sanction.

``The committee considered sanctions in ascending order, starting with a reprimand.

``A reprimand would not adequately address the committee's concern about your behaviour.

``Your absence from the hearing has made it impossible for the committee to formulate appropriate and practical conditions to impose on your registration.

``Nor were the committee able to assess your willingness to respond positively to retraining and professional guidance.

``The committee then considered whether a period of suspension would be the right sanction, but took the view that there was no evidence either that you have insight or that there is not a significant risk that you will repeat the behaviour.

``In the light of those considerations, the committee therefore decided that they have no alternative but to make a prohibition order.

``The period after which you may apply for restoration of eligibility to register is a minimum of two years.''

Mr de Groot has the right to appeal within 28 days of the order notice, which was announced on October 8.

The local education authority welcomed the GTC's decision to ban him from teaching.

A Medway Council spokesman said: ``We absolutely abhor this type of behaviour and can confirm this teacher was dismissed by the school's governing body.

``We are committed to ensuring that every child gets the best possible education and is free from any kind of physical or verbal intimidation.

``We fully support the General Teaching Council's decision to make a prohibition order in this case.''