DENIS MCCARTHY FROM RSSKL IN KINGS LANGLEY GIVEN INDEFINITE TEACHING BAN

In March 2019, Denis McCarthy, a former teacher at Rudolf Steiner School Kings Langley (RSSKL), received an indefinite ban from the teaching profession. The decision followed a three-week disciplinary hearing, which concluded that his conduct "amounted to misconduct of a serious nature that fell significantly short of the standards expected".

McCarthy had served at RSSKL for 34 years, but the panel found that he "failed to maintain appropriate professional boundaries and/or professional standards" during his tenure. The Secretary of State for Education subsequently decided that Mr. McCarthy must be barred from teaching indefinitely. He will not be eligible to apply for the removal of this order until March 2022.

The Education Secretary explained, "I have taken into account the panel’s comments on insight and remorse, which the panel states as follows, ‘Whilst the panel felt that this indicated the beginnings of some insight by Mr. McCarthy as to his actions, the panel was disappointed that he did not express any explicit remorse to the pupils or their families.’

In my judgement, the lack of complete and unambiguous insight means that there is some risk of the repetition of this behaviour and this puts at risk the future well-being of pupils. I have therefore given this element considerable weight in reaching my decision."

During the hearing, multiple students, parents, and former staff members provided sworn testimony. One student described how Mr. McCarthy would have students sit on his lap and cuddle them, and in some cases, he reportedly put his hair into bunches at school. A parent also shared that Mr. McCarthy would hug children and have them sit on his lap.

Mr. McCarthy admitted that students would sit on his lap, stating that he neither discouraged nor encouraged the behaviour. He could not recall the incident of students putting his hair into bunches but suggested that if it happened, it was to help children "come out of themselves".

One parent testified about Mr. McCarthy’s conduct during a school camping trip, which involved stroking a student’s cheek, tucking her hair behind her ear, placing his arm around her, and allowing her to rest her head in his lap. Mr. McCarthy denied any inappropriate behaviour, but the panel determined that his actions "went further than would have been appropriate".

Further evidence was presented regarding an incident after Mr. McCarthy had been suspended. While back at work, he approached a student with ink on her face in the playground and wiped it off himself. The panel criticized this as unwarranted contact, noting that the student could have simply been sent to the bathroom to clean herself, and described Mr. McCarthy's actions as "inappropriate and crossing boundaries," especially given his recent suspension.

During the hearing, Mr. McCarthy claimed that one of the witnesses, referred to as Mother A, was engaged in a vendetta against him. However, the panel stated that, on balance, they found Mother A’s testimony more credible than Mr. McCarthy’s.