A SCHOOLBOY suffered burns to his hands and face after a teacher allegedly sent another child home with a powerful acid.
Anne Murawksa could be banned from the classroom if the allegations against her are found proved by the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS).
A hearing due to take place in Edinburgh is set to hear details of 16 charges against the teacher, including a claim she allowed a pupil to go home with acetic acid.
Ms Murawksa was a teacher at Parkhill Secondary School and Cardinal Winning Secondary School at the time of this and other incidents in 2012 and 2013.
The acid incident is claimed to have happened on September 26 2013 at Cardinal Winning Secondary.
The charge states: “You did supply Pupil B – a pupil with additional support needs – with a hazardous chemical, namely acetic acid, to take home.
As a result, “Pupil B having the hazardous chemical in her possession outside of the school, a pupil, Pupil C, came into contact with the hazardous chemical and suffered a burn to his face and hands.
“In light of the above, it is alleged that your fitness to teach is impaired and you are unfit to teach.”
Acetic acid is a corrosive substance used in the production of solvents, paints and dyes. Its best-known use is as regular household vinegar although it has to be diluted many times over to be made safe for consumption.
The acid is used to demonstrate basic chemical reactions to students in practical experiments. But in its raw form it is recommended that those handling it use safety goggles, gloves, an apron and sometimes even breathing equipment.
If the acid comes into contact with skin or eyes it can cause serious burns, and if inhaled it can cause damage to the internal organs.
Other charges relate to the teacher’s alleged actions at Parkhill Secondary School between October 2012 and May 2013.
The list includes allegations that she made inappropriate remarks about colleagues in front of pupils and acted aggressively towards the headteacher of the school.
She is also accused of various instances of inappropriate behaviour during an in-service day, including alleged comments including “Thank goodness that’s over”, “This is an insult to my intelligence” and “This is a waste of my time”.
She is also alleged to have left the school “without any authorisation and/or advising any member of staff.”
The teacher could not be contacted for comment.
