Shame of Felpham teacher who sent emails to teenagers

Michael Pye was found guilty at a hearing held by the General Teaching Council of England of unacceptable professional conduct for sending emails to teenage female students.

The hearing's committee found proven an allegation Mr Pye communicated

inappropriately with Year 9 pupils, aged about 14, and imposed a disciplinary order on him.

The committee's members said: "The emails and texts included expressions of love, kisses and the use of an offensive expletive, all of which overstepped appropriate boundaries between pupil and teacher."

Committee chairman Andy Connell stated: "Teachers have a responsibility to maintain a professional distance with pupils.

"Mr Pye did not maintain proper professional boundaries with young female students '“ one of whom had behavioural issues and was immature for her age.

"The pupils might easily have misinterpreted such communication. We believe these actions presented a potential risk to the pupils, Mr Pye himself and the reputation of the profession."

Mr Pye, who worked in the college's technology department, had been previously warned for blurring professional boundaries after he contacted Year 9 pupils with text messages in February and March 2005.

But he came to the attention of college head Peter Cook again in February 2007 when he sent 12 emails in eight days, during and outside college hours, to two more Year 9 students.

One email read: "Love you baby. Know I'm also here for you xxxx", to which the student replied: "Thanks, that is really sweet. Nice having someone like you there. Love you too."

Another email he sent read: "Hey baby. What the f*** happened xxx?"

College headteacher Mr Cook, who sacked Pye for gross misconduct, told the hearing in Birmingham last Friday: "My concerns with email usage were he was failing to adhere to a sensible distance from pupils.

"He was not, in my view, fostering a healthy relationship.

"The kisses were liable to be misconstrued by these young girls as a statement of affection.

"I would not expect a middle-aged adult to engage in this. He should have maintained a certain distance."

Presenting officer Andy Faux said Mr Pye had developed a very casual

relationship with the students which had placed their welfare at risk.

"He had been emailing pupils in a way which was wholly inappropriate and demonstrated a lack of understanding in the need to maintain a proper professional distance when communicating with pupils.

"Pupils at school have the right to expect they can look to their teachers to offer adult support, not be some sort of mate," he stated.

Mr Pye did not attend the hearing to defend himself.

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