A teacher has been barred from the profession after making inappropriate remarks to students, including stating that Ukrainians are Nazis and labeling gay and transgender individuals as mentally ill. William Garwood defended his comments during a misconduct investigation, citing his religious belief in Islam and anti-Nazism.
The Teaching Regulation Agency panel discovered that during a history lesson at St Mary’s Menston Catholic Voluntary Academy, Mr. Garwood expressed approval of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions in Ukraine, referring to the conflict as targeting “satanic Nazis.” He also claimed that the world is controlled by billionaires who have created “evil Ukrainians.”
The panel concluded that Mr. Garwood’s statements essentially justified Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in front of students. Additionally, he was found to have made derogatory comments about gay and transgender individuals during the same class.
Mr. Garwood defended his views, stating that his Islamic beliefs align with traditional British values and that he is entitled to hold his religious and philosophical beliefs under the Equality Act 2010. However, the panel deemed his comments inappropriate and irrelevant to the lesson content on Nazi Germany history.
The TRA panel criticized Mr. Garwood for making sweeping and unacceptable generalizations about Ukrainians and for using inappropriate labels towards individuals or groups. They expressed concern over the potential impact of his comments on school-aged children and noted the lack of balance or exploration of alternative perspectives in his delivery.
The panel determined that Mr. Garwood’s remarks constituted discriminatory behavior and ruled that he cannot seek to overturn the ban until June 2032.