A British teacher has been banned from the profession for three years after admitting gross misconduct for his behavior towards students on a school trip to Costa Rica in 2019. Richard Glenn was a member of the IT department at Longridge Towers School in Northumberland at the time and had worked there since 2007. However, the 55-year-old was let go after his drunken behavior on the trip that saw him taking students to a strip club and even threatening them with violence, BBC News reports.
Richard Glenn has been banned from teaching for 3 years, after drunkenly taking students to a strip club during a school trip to Costa Rica.
The former head of sixth form was then sent home early during Longridge Towers School's trip and admitted gross misconduct. pic.twitter.com/Q4t2z6L311
— The Shade Borough (@TheShadeBorough) April 23, 2021
- Glenn’s behavior was completely inappropriate. Not only did he drink with students, but he also allowed those under 18 to have alcohol despite it being illegal. In addition, he threatened to “kick the head in” of one student and kill another, acted aggressively towards the female employee leading the trip, and took several of the students to the strip club.
- His missteps didn’t end there. Glenn is also accused of exposing himself to a woman in a shared hotel room, though it was ruled not to be “malicious or sexually motivated.” Furthermore, he kissed one male student on the head and told him “you’re all right.” Clearly, he was really off his head with alcohol.
- Glenn didn’t deny any allegations against him. While he did say he couldn’t remember a single one of those behaviors because he was just too drunk, he “did not dispute the recollection of those present” at his disciplinary hearing. “Mr Glenn was, at various times during the school trip, under the influence of alcohol, and therefore not in a position to adequately take decisions or act in loco parentis should the need arise,” the official report read. “This was in circumstances where pupils under his care were in an unfamiliar country, far from home, and relying on him for guidance and protection. Mr. Glenn was an experienced teacher and pastoral leader who would have been expected to lead an overseas trip safely, and would have been well aware of the conduct expected of him.”
- When his ban is over, he’ll have to apply for it to be lifted. While it’s unlikely that any school will want to hire him moving forward, Glenn’s teaching ban is only for three years and he can technically apply for positions after that time is over, though he’ll have to formally apply for his ban to be lifted.
