Teacher who threatened to give pupil an 'atomic wedgie' banned from classroom
A TEACHER who threatened to give a student an "atomic wedgie," swore and even hit pupils with books has been banned from the profession for life.
David Foster, 44, was struck off over his inappropriate behaviour with students, including playing with a girl's hair and making comments about her breasts.
Foster, who was employed as a science teacher at Derby Moor Community Sports College, in Littleover, was banned from teaching in England indefinitely by a disciplinary panel.
Foster admitted swearing - with pupils reporting that Foster said one student was "s**t at chemistry" and telling another pupil, "I love you but I sometimes don't half want to kill you: atomic wedgie. They split you in half".
Another pupil alleged in a statement about Foster: "He also mentions my breasts when playing with my hair - 'stop rubbing your boobs'."
Foster admitted to making the comment.
Other pupils made statements which stated Foster had slapped their backs, as well as poking them and digging his elbows into pupil's backs.
In a witness statement, one pupil said: "Numerous times I have been punched in the back, smacked around the face and head with a book, pulled hair a bit.... also the books around the head and punches in the back came to the point it hurts."
Once the school became aware of the issues highlighted, it acted swiftly to follow due process such that proper protocols were adhered to and student safety was ensured
Foster admitted hitting pupils on their heads with books but said he would "have done this lightly".
The National College for Teaching and Leadership heard that, in June 2013, a number of allegations regarding the behaviour of Foster were raised by pupils.
The panel's report said: "The derogatory and abusive terms used towards pupils did not safeguard their well-being and were likely to have affected their self-esteem."
Despite a formal oral warning about his behaviour in 2011, the panel found that Foster had continued and that the pupils "were not referring to a one-off incident".
Banning Mr Foster from teaching for life, the panel said that he had not "demonstrated any insight into the impact his behaviour may have had on the pupils".
Foster, who did not appear at the hearing, was barred from teaching indefinitely, but has the right of appeal within 28 days.
Wendy Whelan, head teacher at Derby Moor Community Sports College, said: "Mr Foster was employed at Derby Moor and was dismissed from his post in July 2013 for reasons as detailed in the NCTL report.
"Once the school became aware of the issues highlighted, it acted swiftly to follow due process such that proper protocols were adhered to and student safety was ensured."
