'Sleeping with teacher' reprimand

A teacher who suggested to pupils that "sleeping with the teacher" was a possible reason for getting an A grade has been given a reprimand.

Desmond Harris, from Hadleigh High School in Hadleigh, Suffolk, was found guilty of unacceptable conduct, by the General Teaching Council for England.

He made the suggestion to pupils writing imaginary thank-you letters to a teacher who got them A grades.

Suffolk County Council said Mr Harris had since been dismissed.

The professional conduct committee heard committee heard that on 5 September 2005, Mr Harris suggested that one of the options that could appear in the pupils' letters to explain the A grade, was "sleeping with the teacher".

Intimate matters

The panel found it was a "misjudgement to raise the prospect of sexual activity between teachers and pupils".

The committee said Mr Harris had failed to maintain proper boundaries in his relationship with the pupils.

It also heard that in February 2004, Mr Harris asked a pupil if she had been having sex, and if she wanted a hug, while he was alone with her.

The panel said this was "clearly inappropriate conduct" and Mr Harris had shown a "lack of judgment in discussing these intimate matters alone with a female pupil".

It was also entirely inappropriate for him to suggest physical contact, the committee found.

The committee said: "We have formed the view that they were issues of serious misjudgement, rather than with underlying malicious intent."

Mr Harris was cleared of misconduct on a third matter, which had alleged he failed adequately to supervise a pupil who had sustained a head injury.

The GTC reprimand will remain on the council's register for two years.

A Suffolk County Council spokesperson said: "As soon as the offences came to light the individual was suspended from the school.

"Following a full hearing by the school's governing body he was dismissed on grounds of serious professional misconduct."