A TEACHER at a Derby school, who grabbed a pupil round the neck and jokingly threatened to kill him with a knife if he got an answer wrong, has been banned from the country's classrooms.
The ban – for a minimum of two years – follows a disciplinary panel finding that John Holmes, 53, was guilty of "unacceptable professional conduct" whilst employed at Landau Forte College in Fox Street.
The National Council for Teaching and Leadership panel's findings, which identify the pupil concerned only as pupil B, said: "Mr Holmes made physical contact with pupil B by placing his arm around pupil B's neck, and then took his knife from his pocket and pushed it open so that the blade locked into place. Mr Holmes then made a pretend threat to kill pupil B."
Pupil B had stated that Mr Holmes had "placed him in a headlock during a geography lesson whilst holding a knife and threatening to kill him for giving the wrong answer".
He left the school following the incident, which happened in the summer term of 2012.
The panel said Holmes received a caution on August 2, 2013, from Derbyshire Police for possession of an article with a blade or sharp point on school premises.
NCTL official Paul Heathcote, giving the panel's decision, said: "Mr Holmes' actions were not perceived by pupil B or other pupils in the class to be a genuine threat. Mr Holmes is an experienced and successful teacher, valued by the school and many of its pupils. His current employer has provided a positive testimonial.
"However, his conduct represents serious departure from the personal and professional conduct elements of the Teachers' Standards. He was in possession of a bladed or pointed article on school premises and there is a strong public interest in deterring the carrying and use of knives in schools.
"He has not shown clear insight into the implications of his behaviour."
The panel also found that Holmes previously received a verbal warning from the school in April 2010 after a pupil injured himself on a door. The pupil claimed he was pushed by Holmes, but accepted the collision could have been the result of Holmes trying to prevent him from leaving a classroom.
The panel also found that Holmes made contact with colleagues, in breach of the terms of his suspension from the school following the knife incident by sending an e-mail commenting directly on the circumstances which led to it.
Stephen Whiteley, chief executive of Landau Forte Charitable Trust, said: "Following the reporting of the alleged professional misconduct of a member of staff, we as a responsible employer, investigated and dealt with the matter under staff disciplinary and safeguarding procedures.
"Following detailed internal and external investigations appropriate employment procedures were then followed. Mr Holmes ceased to be employed at Landau Forte College as of August 31, 2013."
