Scots teacher who admitted to inappropriately touching pupils’ hands as way to “keep the peace” during Covid found unfit to teach

A SCOTS teacher who admitted to inappropriately rubbing pupils’ hands as a way to “keep the peace” during Covid has been found unfit to practice.

David White was a teacher at Williamsburgh Primary School in Paisley, Renfrewshire when he physically touched the primary school pupils in his classroom whilst working in a ‘Covid Hub’.

White faced a string of allegations from 2021, including holding and rubbing the hands of pupils, bending down so low that he touched noses with a pupil and holding a pupil’s hand and pulling them closer until they straddled his leg.

The cover teacher was found unfit to practice yesterday by the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS), with a final verdict to be announced later this month.

The full allegations against White read: “On 12 January 2021, whilst employed by Renfrewshire Council as a teacher at Williamsburgh Primary School, and whilst working in a ‘Covid Hub’ for Primary 3 and 4 pupils, the Teacher did.

“Hold and rub the hands of pupils.

“Place his hands on the lower back of pupils and rub their backs.

“Place his hands on the chair seat close to the pupils’ bottoms.

“Bend down in front of Pupil A until their noses touched or almost touched.

“Whilst sitting on a chair with his legs open: Hold Pupil B’s hand and rub the top of their hand. When Pupil B moved away, pull Pupil B closer until they were straddling the Teacher’s leg.

“Whilst Pupil A was demonstrating how another pupil had pulled his hood up: Look at Pupil A’s exposed stomach. Ask Pupil A to repeat the action a further four times.

“Place his toes under the stomach of Pupil D near the hips.”

White has since admitted to holding and rubbing the hands of pupils and placing his hand on the backs of pupils and placing his hand closely to pupils’ bottoms while holding the backs of the chairs.

White did not attend the hearing but was instead represented by Louise Bain, who submitted in her evidence in defence that the educator had been “trying to keep the peace” by rubbing the hands of pupils during the stress of the pandemic.

She added: “The conduct falls short of the expected standards of a registered teacher.

“The fitness to teach test should be applied to the teacher currently. This is consistent with the principle that the profession is about looking forward rather than looking back in order to punish[…]

“Mr White states he is considering in hindsight how he should have considered the situation. He recognised that anyone witnessing the situation could have a different view.

“Mr White did admit the majority [allegations] at an early stage. Mr White states he is truly sorry he took up so much time for many people.

“He made the wrong choices. He got too close to children. I would submit that the risk of repetition is low.”

GTCS associate Laura Bowen stated in her submission to the panel: “In my submission, the allegations found proved to amount to misconduct.

“There is no statutory definition of what amounts to misconduct, however the misconduct involves an act of omission which falls proper of circumstances.

“Section 1.2 of the CoPAC states you must maintain a professional boundary, avoid inappropriate boundaries of pupils […].

“Mrs Thomson and Mrs Cochran stated there was tape on the floors to remind pupils of social distance.

“The teacher did not appear to be making attention to follow social distancing […] with pupils that day. His actions for holding pupils’ hands and rubbing backs were solely aimed at keeping the peace.”

“The physical contact happened when a two-metre distance was in place and was encouraged whenever possible between teachers and pupils.

“The teacher should have maintained efforts to keep distance between pupils, rather than encourage physical contact.

“It is not appropriate at any time for a teacher to be straddling their leg, holding their hand or rubbing under their stomach.

“The conduct also happened repeatedly, suggesting a repetitive behaviour rather than an isolated incident.”

Ms Bowen added in her submission: “There were repeated instances of physical contact with pupils – rubbing their hands, placing his hand on backs and rubbing backs.

“The teacher also placed a chair, rubbing pupils bottoms.”

Ms Bowen added White’s actions were a “consistency of various flagrant disregard for guidance, causing risk to the teacher and pupils.”

“The teacher’s behaviour caused stress to his colleague. As noted in his statement, Mrs Cochran was physically upset.

“Social distancing measures calls into question fitness to teach. The facts found proved amount to a breach of section 1.3 in the CoPac. The teacher was not acting as a role model to pupils.”

Ms Bowen added: “These allegations are of a serious nature. It is in the public interest that the panel finding of the fitness to teach is impaired.

“The teacher has taken training however it is not clear what training has been undertaken.”

She concluded that the actions had “fallen short of what is expected of a teacher”.

White was found to be unfit to practice, whilst the final outcome of the hearing will be revealed later this month.