Teacher used school computer to send sexually explicit emails
A teacher used school equipment to send a message to a member of the public asking them to dress as a pupil ‘with white knickers’.
Christopher Perry sent a number of emails ‘of a sexual nature’ from the device whilst working at St. Francis Primary School in Shelfield.
He carried on his antics despite being told to stop by his bosses and was ultimately sacked. The messages were not sent to anyone connected to the school, or deemed criminal, but a regulator has described them as ‘misconduct of a serious nature which significantly fell short of standards expected’.
Among the emails sent by Mr Perry throughout October and November, 2016 was one which instructed the recipient to ‘perform acts upon me’ live on online chat site Omegle.
Another read: “I have always wanted to see you standing naked full length in the mirror with your beautiful hair flowing off your shoulders smiling at me.”
In a further message Mr Perry said he ‘required’ someone to dress as a school girl while one of the more forthright emails said “You will kneel in the corner of the room, face the wall while I set up my laptop.”
The Department for Education has ruled Mr Perry can remain in the profession.
A professional conduct panel reviewed the incidents stating that publishing the details of his misdemeanours would be enough to ‘send a message’ to the teacher without any further sanction.
Their report said: “Mr Perry has failed to act with integrity and has failed to demonstrate consistently high standards of personal and professional conduct.The panel is satisfied that the conduct of Mr Christopher Perry amounts to misconduct of a serious nature which fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession.
It added: “After careful consideration the panel has concluded that Mr Perry’s conduct was not so serious as to justify prohibition from the profession.” The panel considered that there was a strong public interest consideration in retaining the teacher in the profession, particularly given that no doubt has been cast upon his abilities as an educator or his ability to make a valuable contribution to the profession and his previous good history.
“He has fully accepted responsibility for his poor judgment and has shown genuine remorse for his actions.”
Alan Meyrick, the ‘decision maker’ in the case on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education concurred with the panel’s conclusion.
He said: “I have concluded that a published finding of unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute is proportionate and in the public interest.
“I consider therefore that a published finding is proportionate to satisfy the maintenance of public confidence in the profession.”
A joint statement from the school and Birmingham Diocese said: “St Francis Catholic Primary School follows the robust ICT safeguarding system provided by Walsall Council. The school identified inappropriate use of technology by a teacher in October 2016.
“The school immediately contacted the appropriate authorities, suspended the individual responsible and started a thorough investigation resulting in dismissal last December.”
