A 60-year-old history teacher was banned from teaching for six years yesterday after he allegedly made comments calling LGBTQ+ people “mentally ill” and claiming that “billionaires are the cause of transgenders.” Neither of his claims are true.
The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) within England’s Department of Education disciplined Muslim teacher William Garwood for allegedly making these comments while teaching a Year 11 history lesson on Nazi Germany on October 5, 2023 at St. Mary’s Menston Catholic Voluntary Academy in West Yorkshire, England.
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During the lesson, a student asked Garwood whether he believed any “just wars” had been fought throughout history. He replied “Yes,” and then allegedly told students he was happy that Russian President Vladimir Putin was killing “satanic Nazis” in Ukraine, The Yorkshire Evening Post reported. Putin has previously said that Russia must attack Ukraine to prevent it from pushing LGBTQ+ “perversions” onto Russian children.
Garwood then reportedly claimed that the world is run by billionaires who create “evil Ukrainians” and “transgenders,” stating, “Billionaires are the cause of transgenders and they print it in the media and influence people.” In reality, medical professionals say that trans identities occur naturally as a part of biological gender variations.
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The teacher reportedly began working at the school on September 29, 2023 and was located through a a staffing company called The Randstat Recruitment Agency.
The TRA misconduct panel report, published on July 6, found Garwood guilty of unacceptable professional conduct that was “inappropriate,” “discriminatory,” and “wholly unrelated to the subject matter of the lesson.”
The panel said his remarks “involved a significant and highly subjective value judgement” that “did not demonstrate appropriate respect for, or tolerance of, individuals holding different beliefs,” adding, “Even if there had been some contextual link, the terminology used would not have been acceptable.”
“By presenting personal views in a way that could have been perceived as propagandistic and dismissive of differing perspectives, Mr. Garwood failed to maintain an inclusive or respectful learning environment,” the report added.
The report also concluded that he had not shown “meaningful insight or remorse” during the TRA’s disciplinary proceedings. Garwood had claimed that his views stem from his Muslim religious beliefs, which he accused the TRA board of targeting in violation of Section 10 of the Equality Act 2010, Attitude magazine reported. However, the board found his accusation unconvincing.
Garwood is now forbidden from teaching in any school, sixth form college (for higher-level students ages 16 through 19 who wish to attend an institute of higher learning), relevant youth accommodation, or children’s home in England until at least June 23, 2032.
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