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NewsScottish NewsThree teachers agree to classroom ban

Three teachers agree to classroom ban

THREE teachers have agreed to be banned from the classroom amid allegations including sexual assault, kerb crawling and altering students’ grades.

Malcolm Stopani, was struck off after he was charged by police with kerb crawling in Aberdeen.

Andrew Beattie, 62, a teacher at Selkirk High School in the Scottish Borders, was banned following his conviction for sexual assault against a teenage boy in the 90s.

And Kimberley Wilson, who taught English at Dumfries High School, was struck off for failing to maintain appropriate and professional boundaries, posting inappropriate comments on Facebook and altering exam grades.

The cases of all three teachers – none of whom turned up – were heard at the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) in Edinburgh on Tuesday.

The trio were removed “with consent”, meaning there was no need for detailed evidence to be led.

In Ms Wilson’s case it was heard that on January 18, 2010, she used a computer system to alter the grades of three pupils using the school’s software.

On February 2 the same year, she was said to have posted remarks about pupils on her personal Facebook page. The comments were not read out at the hearing.

Four months later, Ms Wilson was involved socially with a 16-year-old male pupil from her school.

The panel heard that she invited the teenager to a private party at her home address. She then allowed him to consume alcohol with her and spend the night in a room in her home.

Earlier in the day, the panel heard details of the case against Mr Stopani, who is understood to be a teacher at Scotstown Primary, Bridge of Don, Aberdeen.

The panel was told that he was stopped by police in Aberdeen’s Wellington Street in December 2009 and charged with trying to find prostitutes.

In the case of Mr Beattie, he agreed to be removed from the register following allegations of sexual assault against a schoolboy in the 90’s.

The panel heard that while teaching Biology at Selkirk High School, Beattie performed a series of sex acts on the 15-year-old

The victim came forward after Beattie was convicted in February of this year for owning indecent photographs.

He is currently serving a four-month prison sentence and was placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years.

Although the teachers agreed to be banned, the GTCS ruled that all three will have to wait two years before they can appeal the decision.

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