Teacher who watched porn in classroom suspended

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A teacher alleged to have watched porn on a school laptop during classtime while students were present has been suspended for three months.

The teacher was also accused of masturbating and watching porn in the classroom during lunchtime, but denied this.

The charges before the Teachers' Council disciplinary tribunal alleged the incidents occurred during June last year.

The tribunal ordered the three-month suspension in an interim decision made before the charges have been heard.

It said the strongest evidence that he used a school computer to access porn had come from admissions made by the teacher.

The charge of masturbating was hearsay evidence from a pupil, and was denied. But the tribunal said there was an arguable case for serious misconduct even without that component of the charge.

The teacher no longer worked at the school, and had agreed to suspension of his practicing certificate.