Grammar school teacher watched porn in class and looked at women’s profiles 74 times
A grammar school teacher was caught watching porn during class and trying to delete the evidence from his internet history.
David Chidlow was fired from Maidstone Grammar School in Kent after admitting to switching between the live lesson and the graphic website a number of times.
A misconduct hearing was told the 59-year-old also looked at profiles of women on the site and chatted to them ‘for sexual gratification’.
Mr Chidlow discussed his sexual interests with the women and saved their photos onto the laptop. This happened 74 times during school hours.
He began work at Maidstone as a business studies and economics teacher for both GCSE and A-level pupils in September 2018.
The panel was told that in February 2021, the school’s monitoring software had flagged up key words ‘I take my life’ from a staff member’s device.
This prompted an investigation, which exposed the unacceptable activity on the school laptop in February and March that same year.
The panel said the teacher ‘had demonstrated some insight into his actions’ but did not believe he ‘expressed remorse’.
Mr Chidlow’s actions were considered a ‘serious safeguarding risk’ and it was concluded he should be dismissed for gross misconduct.
He was also banned from ever teaching again in any school, sixth form college, youth accommodation or a children’s home in England.
Sarah Buxcey, who made the decision regarding the complaints on behalf of the education secretary, said a prohibition order would be ‘proportionate’ to keep public confidence in the profession.
‘I am particularly mindful of the finding of dishonesty in this case and the impact that such a finding has on the reputation of the profession,’ she added.
‘I have gone on to consider the matter of a review period. In this case, the panel has recommended that no provision should be made for a review period.’
A review period gives a judge a set amount of time to challenge the decision made by the public body.
Ms Buxcey added: ‘In view of the seriousness of the allegations found proved against him, I have decided that Mr Chidlow shall not be entitled to apply for restoration of his eligibility to teach.’
A statement from Maidstone Grammar stressed they took ‘rapid and immediate’ action as soon as his transgressions came to light.
‘The Teaching Regulation Agency’s decision to bar him as a teacher draws a line under the case,’ a spokesperson told Metro.co.uk.
‘The school, as always, has the best interests of the students at the heart of everything we do and that will continue to be our priority.’
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