A teacher has been barred from the profession after making inappropriate comments to students, including labeling Ukrainians as Nazis and stating that gay and transgender individuals are mentally ill. William Garwood defended his remarks during a misconduct investigation, citing his religious belief in Islam and anti-Nazism.
The Teaching Regulation Agency panel learned that during a history lesson at St Mary’s Menston Catholic Voluntary Academy, a student asked Garwood about just wars, to which he responded affirmatively. Additionally, Garwood expressed approval of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions in Ukraine, claiming that Putin was targeting “satanic Nazis” and criticizing billionaires for allegedly creating “evil Ukrainians.”
The panel concluded that Garwood’s statements amounted to justifying Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in front of students. Furthermore, during the same class, Garwood asserted that gay and transgender individuals are mentally ill, a viewpoint that was deemed inappropriate.
Garwood defended his beliefs, stating that his Islamic perspective on transgender issues aligns with traditional British values and that his comments were misinterpreted by students. However, the panel found his remarks to be unrelated to the lesson’s subject matter and expressed concern over the discriminatory nature of his comments.
Mr. Garwood will not be eligible to seek a reversal of the ban until June 2032. The Teaching Regulation Agency determined that his comments constituted discriminatory behavior.
