Teacher censured for grabbing and carrying boy to principal's office

The teacher carried the pupil to the principal's office.

A teacher has been censured for carrying a struggling child to a school principal's office.

The boy was accused of hurting three classmates in the incident last year.

Three children had approached the teacher in a distressed state at lunchtime and said the boy had hurt them.

The teacher intervened several times to make sure the boy went to the principal's office, according to the Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal.

The teacher first put his hand on the boy's shoulder and steered him in the right direction.

But when the boy grabbed hold of a bar and wouldn't move, the teacher prised his fingers free.

He then grabbed the boy around the waist with both arms and carried him to the principal.

The tribunal said the case was about the "inappropriate use of force against a student" and found the teacher guilty of misconduct.

It considered this was a "borderline case for serious misconduct" because the actions were not a "brief reaction" but a "sustained use of force".

The tribunal accepted that the use of force was not for bad effect or purpose and did not constitute physical abuse.

However, it noted that the teacher's conduct was likely to adversely affect the wellbeing of the student and also reflected adversely on his fitness to practice.

"In these circumstances, the tribunal did not find the teacher was guilty of serious misconduct, but agreed that the teacher's conduct did amount to a finding of misconduct," it said.