Teacher who called bisexuals ‘greedy’ and slept with student banned
A general view of Brine Leas School, Sixth Form building in Nantwich. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Dan Boulton, a teacher who had sex with a sixth form pupil and told his class bisexual people are “greedy”, has been banned “indefinitely” from teaching.
Boulton had a sexual relationship with a sixth form student at Brine Leas School in Nantwich, Chester, between March and December 2015.
A recently published review into the incident confirmed Boulton has been banned from teaching indefinitely, and also notes there has been no police conviction.
It also shows the 56-year-old made inappropriate comments twice in 2018, which he says were “merely an attempt at humour”.
He firstly told a group of pupils during a Personal, Social, Health, Economic lesson on the topic of sexuality that “bisexual people are just greedy”.
Three months later he told a staff member in reference to a pupil: “I ******* hate her, I hope she dies of a brain haemorrhage.”
The report read: “Mr Boulton admitted he used words to the effect of ‘bisexual people are just greedy’.
“He made this comment to pupils in a lesson. Some of the class members identified as LGBT. The panel accepted that this comment fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession.”
Addressing the “brain haemorrhage” comment, the report states: “The panel accepted that this comment fell short of the standards expected of the profession but if it was being considered in isolation, did not think that by itself it amounted to unacceptable professional conduct.”
It adds that the comment was “ill-advised and unprofessional”, but was said in what was “considered to be a private conversation”.
However, the panel still ruled the comment to be “unacceptable professional conduct”.
The report follows a professional conduct panel of Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) holding a private virtual meeting, following Boulton stating the allegations can be considered without a hearing.
In an email to the TRA in June this year, Boulton said he was “deeply sorry for his comments”, while the report states he did not mean them to cause “offence or upset an individual”.
Boulton attempted to justify his actions by saying his comments were “merely an attempt at humour”.
The report notes: “The panel was satisfied that Mr Boulton was guilty of unacceptable professional conduct.
“Overall, the panel therefore found that Mr Boulton’s actions constituted conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute.”
Sarah Buxcey, decision maker named on behalf of the Secretary of State, concluded in the report: “Mr Dan Boulton is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England.
“Furthermore, in view of the seriousness of the allegations found proved against him, I have decided that Mr Boulton shall not be entitled to apply for restoration of his eligibility to teach.”
Boulton admitted allegations made against him and acknowledged he failed to keep boundaries appropriate to a teacher’s position, as well as failing to treat pupils with dignity.
