Teacher who panel concluded had touched girls' hair banned
PAA maths teacher who - according to a misconduct panel - ran his hand through the hair of female students and told one "I like your lippy" has been banned from the profession.
Anthony Hook, 66, who was sacked by a Greater Manchester School, was banned by the Teacher Regulation Agency.
He was cleared three years ago of assaulting eight girls at the school but still had to face a professional misconduct panel.
A two-day virtual hearing earlier this month found Hook guilty of unacceptable professional conduct as well as conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute. The panel found his behaviour "involved repeated breaches of professional boundaries with pupils, which caused them harm".
It concluded he "failed" to learn from disciplinary warnings about allegations of touching pupils at the school, where he worked from 2001 to until his dismissal in 2020.
The panel said the alleged conduct took place between 2017 and 2019.
Among the allegations made by several pupils were that he played with the hair of girls, told one she was "beautiful", another she was his "prom date" and another that he "loved her".
'I love your lippy'
On one occasion, he had allegedly put his arm around a girl and looked at their lips and said "I love your lippy today", the panel heard.
He also allegedly kept twirling another girl's hair with his fingers, the hearing was told.
The panel noted that Hook had consistently denied any sexual motivation to his alleged conduct.
In its consideration of the factual allegations, the panel said it had "applied the civil standard of proof, the balance of probabilities".
Among the factual allegations the panel said had been "proven" during its findings - after taking into account the evidence of the relevant pupil and admissions by Hook in statements of "agreed facts" - were:
- That he placed his hand on Pupil A's shoulder on one or more occasions
- That he ran his fingers through Pupil A's hair on one or more occasions
- Said to Pupil A "I like your lippy" or words to that effect
- Ran his hands through and/ or played with Pupil B's hair on one or more occasions
- Sang a song to Pupil A about how much he loved her
- Stated "you can come over to my house for a change" or words to that effect in response to Pupil B asking him to check their work
- Made comment that "I will be your prom date" or words to that effect, on one or more occasions to Pupil B and/or Pupil C
- Wrote "I love Hooky" and/ or "I love Mr Hook" on Pupil C and/or Pupil R's exercise book and/ or planner
The panel found that an allegation Hook had run his hands through and/ or played with Pupil C's hair on one or more occasions was not proven.
The panel noted Hook had a previous good record, having demonstrated high standards as an academic teacher.
"However, the panel saw that Hook had previously been the subject of management guidance about physical contact with pupils and had agreed to avoid such contact in the future.
"Despite this, he had proceeded to undertake the various physical contacts with pupils detailed in the particulars and had consequently caused harm to pupils' health and wellbeing."
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