A former teacher, Rebecca Whitehurst, has been banned from teaching after serious misconduct involving a 15-year-old student came to light. Despite being cleared in 2022 of all charges regarding sexual conduct with the student, who had falsified messages, Whitehurst faced a professional misconduct panel recently. They discovered thousands of messages exchanged between Whitehurst and the student, alongside meet-ups and sharing of personal phone numbers. The panel noted that the relationship, intended initially to help the student, crossed professional boundaries and posed a risk to the student and Whitehurst herself.
Repeated communication, including explicit and concerning messages from the student, were not reported by Whitehurst to the school or safeguarding authorities. This led to her permanent ban from teaching, with the possibility to appeal after five years. The panel highlighted that Whitehurst’s actions could harm the public’s perception of educators. Despite knowing the student’s vulnerabilities, Whitehurst engaged in an inappropriate relationship, failing to maintain professional boundaries. This breach of conduct lasted from March to September 2019, with ample opportunities for her to withdraw and seek help. Despite deleting inappropriate images sent by the student, she failed to report these incidents, increasing the potential harm to both parties.
The impact on the student, who showed distress due to these events, underscored the seriousness of the misconduct. The panel concluded that Whitehurst significantly deviated from expected professional standards, resulting in her indefinite ban from education roles in England.