A SCOTS teacher accused of waving a fake penis at his colleagues claims he only picked the object up because it was in a box overflowing with mocked-up members.
Derek Turkington, who taught at Newbattle Community High School in Dalkeith, Midlothian, is accused of making lewd gestures between August 2017 and May 2018.
Mr Turkington is alleged to have made provocative movements towards his colleagues with one of the prosthetic penis’, which are used to demonstrate how to put a condom on.
The guidance teacher, originally from Glasgow, yesterday revealed he may have carried a couple of the demonstrators because the storage box “at times overflowed”.
He admitted that as a result he may have waved goodbye to a fellow teacher with the prosthetic phallus but remains adamant he is still “a good teacher”.
Mr Turkington also denied the allegations that he placed one of the prosthetics down his trousers and that he placed a finger through his zipper to mimic male genitalia.
Mr Turkington was also accused of telling a pupil “that his dad clearly doesn’t care about him and that he needs to move on and get a grip.”
He claims the pupils mother mother had asked him to relay this message prior to the conversation in January 2018.
Mr Turkington now faces being removed from the teaching register by The General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) following a three day hearing this week.
The charges state: “Between in or around August 2017 and in or around May 2018, the teacher did whilst employed as a teacher by Midlothian Council at Newbattle Community High School, and during the course of his employment behave in an inappropriate manner towards other members of staff in that he did:
“On at least one occasion place a prosthetic penis down his trousers and through the zip and [made] suggestive and provocative movements towards other colleagues.
“[You did] place his finger, or fingers, through the zip of his trousers in an attempt to mimic male genitalia.
“In or around January 2018, on at least one occasion scream at Pupil A [and] state in the presence of Pupil A ‘Colleague A, can you please tell him that his dad clearly doesn’t care about him and that he needs to move on and get a grip’ or words to that effect.
“In or around 2017, nail a piece of wood over a school door resulting in distress to pupils’ present.
“And in light of the above it is alleged that the teacher’s fitness to teach is impaired.”
Mr Turkington appeared in front of the GTCS panel to defend himself yesterday.
He said: “The demonstrators were used for S4 classes to show how to put on a condom.
“They were kept in a box which at times overflowed and so you would have to carry a couple while putting a folder over the top of the box.
“This was to cause as little attention as possible and all I can think is that one of my colleagues was on the phone and I was waving to say I am off to teach.
“I would have maybe had the demonstrator in my hand but that is all I can think.”
He continued to justify his conversation with the pupil: “I had just come off a call with Pupil A’s mother and she had told me that she was giving him the same message at home.
“I sent around an email stating that we were to take a tough love approach with this boy who would wander the corridors rather than attend classes.
“I had been Pupil A’s guidance teacher for four years. The phrase reported to the Pupil A word for word by his mum and said I’m giving him that message at home.
“I was for consistency repeating what his mum had said, I was frustrated at staff for not following advice.”
Mr Turkington was also questioned over the allegation that he nailed a piece of wood to a door and caused destress to a pupil.
He continued: “I am a techy teacher, I have the skills and knowledge to cut a piece of wood which I did and I then went with a battery drill and carefully screwed in some screws.
“There were absolutely no nails involved as it would shatter the glass, I wish that people would give time and dates so that I could tell you exactly what I was doing.”
“It was done in a very calm and very structured manner.”
Mr Turkington admitted that he ‘liked a laugh and to be positive and fun’, adding: “I agree that if that [allegation] was done towards a colleague that would be far too far and outwith being the appropriate humour for the workplace.
“I would say my sense of humour is friendly, outgoing, I like a laugh and a joke, I wouldn’t say I was slapstick as such, a sense of humour helps in the workplace.
“I certainly wouldn’t want to upset anyone, I would be appalled if that were to happen.”
The hearing continues.
