A teacher at Ysgol Rhiwabon in Wrexham who was under scrutiny for calling a pupil a “tramp,” among other derogatory remarks, has been informed of the outcome of his case by a professional standards committee. The teacher, Morgan Jones, faced allegations of unprofessional conduct for his inappropriate behaviour towards students, including calling one pupil a “tramp” and telling them to “go back to the special class.” He also shouted at another student to “shut your face” and referred to a third student as “a freak.”
During the proceedings, it came to light that Mr Jones had also engaged in inappropriate behaviour with a year 11 student, where he was reported to have told the student to “f*** off” after being verbally abused by the student. Despite these incidents, the committee decided to allow Mr Jones to continue teaching. The professional standards committee acknowledged the challenging nature of the students Mr Jones had to deal with at Ysgol Rhiwabon, highlighting the lack of support he had in managing such behaviour.
Two years on from the incidents at Ysgol Rhiwabon, Mr Jones, now 30, was reported to be thriving in his role at Ysgol Clywedog in Wrexham, as disclosed during a hearing held from January 26 to 29. The committee learned that Mr Jones had a particularly tough year eight class, with many students on behaviour reports and with reading ages as low as six years old. Despite feeling unsupported, the headteacher of Ysgol Rhiwabon, Melanie Ferron-Evan, contested the claim that there was no effective behaviour policy in place.
One incident detailed during the hearing involved a student who took most of his lessons at the school’s special resource base and was labelled as “challenging” by Mr Jones. The student, in a year eight religious studies class, had been disruptive, making rude comments about the teacher’s weight and eventually prompting Mr Jones to call him a “tramp” and ask him to leave the room. Another incident involved Mr Jones shouting at a student during school assembly, which he believed was in response to a racial slur directed at him.
The committee found several allegations against Mr Jones to be proven, including the use of inappropriate language towards students, which were deemed as unacceptable professional conduct. Chairing the committee, Sue Davies addressed Mr Jones, acknowledging the impact his actions had on the students involved and their peers. Despite the reprimand placed on Mr Jones’ registration, the committee noted his remorse, apology, and lack of evidence that such behaviour would continue.
The reprimand allows Mr Jones to continue teaching but will remain on his registration with the Education Workforce Council Wales for a year. Mr Jones has the option to appeal this decision within the next 28 days. The committee highlighted the importance of upholding respect for students within the profession, emphasizing that parents expect their children to be treated with dignity at school. The committee praised Mr Jones for showing insight into his actions and for his positive contributions to his current school.
In summarising the case, the professional standards committee balanced the inappropriate conduct with the context of challenging circumstances Mr Jones faced, ultimately allowing him to continue his teaching career. As news of the outcome spreads, it prompts discussions around teacher professionalism and the support systems in place to address challenging student behaviour effectively.