Drunk Teacher Caught Kissing Student Is Allowed To Continue Teaching

Rachel Clint, an assistant head teacher of a prestigious private school in the UK, was recently caught kissing an 18 year old student while she was drunk on a train ride after an event. The kiss was caught on camera, presumably captured by another student on their smart phone. The teacher was immediately put on leave and the incident was investigated, however, at a Teaching Regulation Agency hearing, it was decided that Clint would be able to continue teaching.

Despite the fact that the teacher had climbed onto the student’s lap to give him a kiss, the investigators determined that her actions were not of a sexual nature. This ruling is odd considering that Clint previously admitted that her actions were in fact of a sexual nature.

Merchant Taylors’ School, Waterloo / Photo Credit: Echo

The hearing ruled that it was not sexually motivated “given that the evidence suggests that this was a spontaneous kiss which did not lead to any further intimacy.” The panel said that the young boy involved in the incident had not “anticipated, expected or sought to bring about,” the kiss.

“In deciding not to impose a prohibition order from teaching, the panel said it had considered the “very strong public interest consideration in retaining Miss Rachel Clint in the profession. It could damage the public’s perception of her and therefore bring the profession into disrepute,” the panel ruled.

Clint was fired from her position at the prestigious school, as school administrators said that “her conduct had fallen far below the standards that we require from our teachers.”

Many parents at the school were glad to see the teacher get fired.

“I might have seen light-hearted, but this is a serious abuse of a position of trust between a boy, and a woman 15 years older than him,” one parent said.

At the event attended by teachers and students earlier that day, staff members were given a free bar tab for alcohol. Clint says that she consumed alcohol on an empty stomach and got way more out of control than she would have otherwise and that she “viewed this incident as a result of an error of judgment on her part.”

“I accept full responsibility for my actions, but I hope this isolated and out of character incident, and my lack of reporting, does not deny me a future in the profession,” she said.

“Teaching is my vocation; it is my identity,” she added.

The incriminating photo showing geography teachers, from renowned Merchant Taylor’s school, kissing a sixth form pupil on a train / Photo Credit: Liverpool ECHO

It was noted by the investigating officer that she was otherwise an excellent role model for the students and that she was reportedly struggling with personal issues at the time.

Beverley Bell CBE, Chair of Governors at Merchant Taylors’ Schools, said in a statement that “As the TRA report confirms, the school was not immediately made aware of the incident involving Rachel Clint on 19 May 2017. As soon as the school became aware, Rachel Clint was immediately withdrawn from her duties and suspended pending a full investigation. The matter was also referred to the local safeguarding officer, the police and the TRA.”

“She was dismissed from her role at Merchant Taylors’ Schools in April 2018 following a disciplinary hearing, when it became clear that her conduct had fallen far below the standards that we require from our teachers. Safeguarding of our pupils is of the utmost importance at Merchant Taylors’. The judgment by the TRA panel allows Rachel Clint to continue her teaching career, but this will not be at Merchant Taylors’ Schools,” the statement continued.

In the United States last week, a former priest who impregnated a 14 year old was able to keep his job as a middle school teacher.

According to People, the Cinnaminson Township Public Schools district was unable to fire Joseph Michael DeShan after an investigation into an alleged relationship with a young girl. The teacher was given a three week administrative suspension following the investigation but was then allowed to return to the classroom, despite being formally reprimanded for a relationship with a child. DeShan even admitted to the relationship with the young girl, but claimed it was “consentual.” However, despite his confession, because the case has long passed the statute of limitations, there is nothing legally that can be done about the situation.

© AnonLAB 2019