A schoolteacher has been struck off after letting girls under the age of 16 pose topless as other pupils simulated masturbation.
Emma Wright, 41, was an art teacher at Huxlow Science College, Northamptonshire, when the incident took place.
Ms Wright was reported to the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) in 2018 after photos of the students were found by the school’s head of art and design.
She was banned from teaching indefinitely after being found to allow students to take partially-naked photos.
Huxlow Science College
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Ms Wright was found to allow students to take partially naked photos
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The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) ruled that Ms Wright produced and submitted photographs of students: “Holding cigarettes, wearing only underwear, with their hands covering their otherwise naked breasts, while others posed with their hand inside their underwear and/or in a pose with simulated masturbation.”
The TRA added that “Ms Wright had accepted that the artist she had introduced did do ‘suggestive pictures’, but she told the students this did not mean for them to do suggestive pictures".
The report went to say: “Mrs Wright informed the panel that she had told the pupils that she did not expect them to be naked, but to use their arm, face, or something. During her evidence, Mrs Wright stated that art is a process.
“On balance, the panel determined that Mrs Wright would have seen the photographs that had been produced by the pupils before the final artwork had been produced.”
The TRA’s Alan Meyrick said in conclusion: “Whilst the panel was satisfied that there was a low risk of repetition, it did not find that Mrs Wright had fully reflected on the safeguarding implications of allowing pupils to take photographs of themselves or others in a state of undress.
“The risk of harm, due to the lack of safeguarding pupils, was a significant factor in forming that opinion.
“In my view, it is necessary to impose a prohibition order in order to maintain public confidence in the profession.”
Ms Wright cannot apply for a review of her indefinite ban until at least 2024.