A TEACHER at one of Scotland’s most exclusive private schools has been struck off after sleeping with teenage pupils
The 34-year-old woman was thrown out of the profession following a police probe at all-boys Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh.
Fees for boarders can run to £29,000 a year and famous former pupils include Scotland rugby star Sam Hidalgo-Clyne.
Child abuse campaigners are furious after a teaching watchdog granted the woman—who had sex with boys aged 17 and 18 during 2014 and 2015—anonymity.
The General Teaching Council for Scotland even refused to reveal which school was involved in the scandal.*
A disciplinary hearing was told the teacher repeatedly had sex with a number of male pupils and sent one a sexually explicit video.
Yesterday the GTCS accepted a “removal with consent” order from the teacher who admitted the charges and agreed to be struck off.
Sexual abuse charity The Survivors Trust last night criticised the secrecy of the hearing, which was held behind closed doors.
A spokeswoman said: “In our experience we have seen the benefits of naming an alleged offender of a sexual offence as it allows other people who’ve witnessed this teacher’s behaviour and indeed other victims to come forward and inform police."
"This may be unlikely if the name of the teacher and/or school is not publicised. We hope the case has been passed to the police in order that a full investigation can be carried out."
“This case is of concern to us as it appears that a person, clearly in a position of trust as a teacher, has breached their legal obligation to safeguard the young people they educate.”
A spokesman for the GTCS said: “Our Fitness to Teach panels consider a range of evidence including the risk of vulnerable witnesses being identified when taking the decision to hold any hearing in -private. The panel will publish an outcome after the conclusion of this hearing which will explain more about its decision.”
Police Scotland -confirmed officers quizzed the woman in November 2015 and sent a report to the procurator fiscal.
But a Crown Office spokesman said there are -“currently no proceedings” following the probe at the school—whose motto is “Ready Ay Ready”.
He added: “The procurator fiscal received a report concerning a 34-year-old woman in connection with alleged incidents in January and -February 2015.* There are currently no proceedings but the Crown reserves the right to raise proceedings should further evidence become available.”
*Coverage of this case is truly awful. Somehow Merchiston and the GTCS both managed to suppress the fact that the teacher in question was also Merchiston's Child Protection Officer.
