TEACHER BANNED FOR SENDING INAPPROPRIATE MESSAGES TO STUDENT
A woman named Charlotte Doman, aged 32 at the time, has been banned from teaching following findings by a Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel.Doman was a history teacher at William Edwards secondary school in Grays, Essex, when her inappropriate conduct began.
She sent numerous messages to a pupil, referred to as Pupil A, including calls and messages where she called him "little duck" and expressed love, though she denied her intentions were romantic.
She also shared details of her sexual encounters, such as her statement: "One night I ended up with three different guys." The panel reported that she sent dozens of messages between April and May 2023, where she suggested the pupil was not yet legal and asked if she was taking advantage of him, even questioning if he was taking advantage of her, stating: "You're not even legal or an adult or anything.
Like, am I taking advantage of you?
Some days it feels like you're taking advantage of me lol." She told him: "YOU have all the control in this relationship" and encouraged him to drink and smoke cannabis with her.
Additionally, she made comments about his appearance and invited him to 'pull sickies' on days she was off school, at least once suggesting he spend time alone with her.
She claimed that her use of the nickname 'little duck' was not romantic and that she wanted to show she cared about him, stating she was expressing that she loved him to let him know he mattered.
Despite her claims, the panel concluded her conduct was damaging and had the potential to influence the pupil harmfully.
Doman also acknowledged she had sent messages outside of school hours and told the pupil to erase her from his phone.
The TRA decided she should be banned from teaching indefinitely, with a review after five years.
Doman did not attend her misconduct hearing but stated her behavior was not motivated by sexuality and that she viewed the pupil as 'like her child.' The school’s head teacher, Simon Bell, confirmed she was immediately suspended after concerns emerged and expressed disappointment and concern over her actions, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding.
The panel highlighted that her behavior negatively impacted the pupil, his family, and the wider community and recognized she was experiencing personal difficulties at the time but showed insufficient insight into her actions.
