Bristol teacher who admitted using crack cocaine to continue teaching

A MATHS teacher who admitted using crack cocaine fell asleep during lessons, a hearing was told.

William Horseman was teaching at the Ridings High School, Winterbourne, at the time he was using the class-A drug.

The hearing was told he also:

-Failed to attend a summer school on one day on 2007;

-Failed to attend two registration sessions in September 2007;

-Dismissed some Year 12 and Year 13 classes early and left the school premises before the end-of-lesson bell;

-Fell asleep during a trip to Bristol Zoo.

Mr Horseman admitted one count of unacceptable professional conduct at a hearing of the General Teaching Council (GTC) in Birmingham on Thursday. But the panel decided he would be allowed to continue as a teacher. It imposed a conditional registration order which will stay on his record for two years. Since Mr Horseman left the school, he has been teaching at the £23-million Merchants' Academy in Withywood, the newest of the Government's 47 privately sponsored academies.

He was found to be a user of crack cocaine after an incident in a Bristol flat where he had his car stolen. After calling the police, he admitted to them that he used the drug.

Mr Horseman, who taught at the Ridings for 25 years and who was not represented at the hearing, said he "had learnt his lesson" and wanted to move forward with his life and rebuild his reputation.

Presenting officer Andrew Faux said to Mr Horseman "you don't fit an obvious crack cocaine user" and asked him why he used the drug.

Mr Horseman replied: "I was unhappy at home, I wanted to get out. Nobody has ever caught me doing it, the only reason is I admitted it.

"I'm not proud, I'm ashamed and I've learnt a lesson from it. There is no real justification."

He said at the time he felt as low as he could possibly feel: "The low being the realisation of doing something you shouldn't have done."

Mr Horseman also told the committee he had only taken the class-A drug half a dozen times over three to four months in 2006. He said he had six counselling sessions in the months following March 2006. When asked by a committee member how he could stop taking such an addictive drug, Mr Horseman said the situation he found himself in was an incentive.

He said: "I stopped using it after what had happened, had no wish or desire to carry on, the situation frightened me."

When asked by committee chairman Aaron King about the effect on his pupils, he said there was an effect, but it was an "isolated occurrence" and not an acceptable thing to do as a teacher.

He said: "I've learned to be very grateful. I appreciate the severity of what's happened."

Passing sanction Mr King said: "The use of crack cocaine, a class-A drug, by any member of the teaching profession is completely unacceptable.

"Mr Horseman had frankly admitted taking crack cocaine on a number of occasions, he has explained to us how once the matter came to the attention of the police in March 2006 – he ceased any further use.

"Nevertheless this was inappropriate conduct at the relevant time and brings the profession into disrepute and undermines public confidence in teachers.

"We have taken into consideration in reaching our decision on sanction the candour in accepting his past failings during the relevant period and his frank admissions to us today, the various stressful circumstances in his personal life at the time, the lack of support the committee perceived for Mr Horseman from the school in the relevant period and his feelings of professional isolation.

"We accept his assurance that such conduct will not be repeated."

"We have decided, given the seriousness of the matters proved, a period of further monitoring of Mr Horseman's teaching progress is appropriate.

"We have therefore decided to impose a conditional order."

The conditions of the order specify that three times per year he will provide to the teaching council a report from his employer confirming satisfactory conduct.

It will remain in place for two years.