A SCOTS teacher is fighting to keep his job following allegations that he told a 12-year-old pupil fixing her skirt that there was “no point of pulling it up when it’s going to end up on the floor”.
Steven Gowans faces eight allegations brought against him in several incidents occurring at Montrose Academy, Angus between August 2017 and October 2019.
The 60-year-old allegedly also placed his hand around the buttock and hip of the same pupil, 12, causing her to feel uncomfortable.
Gowans is further alleged to have looked at pictures of dresses on senior pupil’s phones before saying: “What’s the point in spending so much money on dresses when boys will have them off by the end of the night?”
It is also claimed that the maths teacher taught a senior class a mnemonic for the use of sin, tan, cos and alt on their calculators.
It is said that he taught the class “all strippers take c**k”, “all sl**s take c**k” and “all students take cannabis”.
Gowans, who has now retired, has also been accused of telling various female pupils to “twist my knob” while unlocking his classroom door.
He was also said to have placed his hand on the back of another separate pupil and rubbed his hand up and down, causing her to feel uncomfortable.
Gowans yesterday denied all allegations in front of a General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) panel who are set to decide whether he is still fit to teach.
When he was asked about the incidents with the then-12-year-old pupil , he said: “It is just ridiculous.
“I thought it was quite unusual she used to just sit and scowl at me the whole time [in class] and not once would she ask for help.
“If I made a point of going over to check she wouldn’t let me see her jotter, she’d be out sharpening her pencil five times”.
The teacher told the three person panel on the first day of the four day hearing how he was hauled in front of bosses to answer the other allegations, which he claims didn’t happen.
He said: “I don’t recall discussing dresses, teenage girls are not seeking fashion advice from a middle-aged maths teacher, it just didn’t happen.
“I’ve never used those mnemonics at all, I’m aware that pupils sometimes do use that type of mnemonic and I’ve always stuck with ‘all sinners take care’.
“I’ve never used language like that in private, never mind in a public place, it is just completely absurd that a teacher would go to a door and say that to a pupil.
“The door did have a door knob, I tend to call things by their proper name but you know on the odd occasion I would say do you think you could turn that knob please but I’ve never sexualised it.
“I’ve never discussed drinking with pupils, I have heard them discuss it [drinking] but my view is that I am here to teach maths.”
Gowans continued: “I attended an interview and denied all of the allegations, shortly after I was invited to a return to work meeting.
“There was a local authority investigation where I attended an interview and sometime after I was told that I could return to work but I made a point that there was no way I would set foot back in that school.
“I was transferred to Monifeith, it was completely different. I could get back to enjoying my job and I enjoyed the last two years of my career.
“I am completely bewildered that they [pupils] have just made all of this up.”
The GTCS heard from Gowans yesterday who claimed that poor prelim results could be the cause for some of the allegations.
Gowans was asked by Gary Burton, the Presenting Officer for GTCS about whether there was a grudge or grievance against him.
He said: “I noted down the dates [of the accusations] and they would have got their prelim results back, I don’t know if that’s got anything to do with it.”
Mr Burton also asked whether pupils would ever have their phones out in class during lessons to show teacher’s dresses.
Gowans said: “I think my policy was that senior pupils would be allowed to go on their phones for the final minute of the lesson.
“It would be just as we were packing up and waiting for the bell, I’m trying to get organised for the next class, I’m not interested in their phones”.
He was then asked by Mr Burton if the allegations were fabricated and he indicated that he believed they were.
He said: “Yes, it is just nonsense, I just don’t understand this at all.
“They have all worked together on this.”
Gowans faces being removed from the teaching register if he is found to have breached parts 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 and 1.6 of the GTCS code of professionalism and conduct 2012.
The hearing continues.
