‘Deeply offensive’ teacher who upset pupils in Fife high school hit with two year classroom ban

A “deeply offensive” teacher who upset pupils, parents, and colleagues during a short spell at a school in Fife has been issued a two-year classroom ban.

Donna Gilchrist used a racial slur in class and mocked a pupil with dyslexia during a 30 day stint at Beath High School from December 2017 to January 2018.

During her time at the Cowdenbeath secondary school, she mocked overweight people, and referred to a red-haired pupil as “the ginger one”.

The English teacher also told a devout Christian pupil “Jesus was gay” and played age-inappropriate videos in class, including a violent film containing sexist and other offensive terms.

A report heard that her behaviour reduced some pupils to tears and several reported her to senior staff.

Following a hearing by the General Teaching Council (GTC) Scotland, Gilchrist was deemed unfit to teach and was struck from the teaching register in August.

The panel has now ruled she cannot reapply until at least 2025.

A written judgement released this week read: “The panel considered that a shorter time period was inappropriate as the conduct found proved is very serious.”

Members said the two years would give Gilchrist time to “reflect on her conduct and demonstrate insight”.