Teacher struck off over Jamaica jaunt
A former Black Country special school headteacher who took a Caribbean holiday on expenses has been struck off the teaching register for five years.
Susan Duncan was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct after claiming more than £3,000 for a trip to Jamaica while she was employed at The Meadows School in Dudley Road East, Oldbury.
The General Teaching Council (GTC) also found her guilty of making a false claim of £306 for a swimming-with-dolphins excursion during a personal holiday to Antigua, which she claimed was "research".
Striking her from the register yesterday, Mr Ralph Ullmann, chair of the GTC panel, described her actions as "a conscious and deliberate wrongdoing". He added: "We have never had any sign of regret or remorse.
"Ms Duncan has taken advantage of a wide authority granted to her in financial matters and a wide trust placed in her by the governing body, the LEA, and the school. She has abused the authority she had."
Ms Duncan, known as Angela, of Fairburn Crescent, Pelsall, claimed she and another teacher at the school, Rita Simcox, described in the hearing as her partner, went to Jamaica in April 2006 to carry out a risk assessment for a future school trip to the island.
The former head, who was not at the disciplinary hearing in Birmingham, said the Antigua excursion in October 2004 was also for risk assessment purposes.
Another allegation that she allowed four of Ms Simcox's family members to attend the school trip to Jamaica was found proven, but it was not found to be professional misconduct as they were never left unsupervised with the children.
Further allegations that she had made numerous false expenses claims could not be proven. The case against Ms Simcox, also known as Margaret, that she had allowed her family to attend the trip and had made false expenses claims, was found unproven.
