A teacher has been barred from the profession after making controversial remarks to students, including stating that Ukrainians are Nazis and deeming gay and transgender individuals as mentally ill.
William Garwood defended his comments during a misconduct investigation by citing his religious belief in Islam and his anti-Nazi philosophy. The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel revealed that during a history lesson at St Mary’s Menston Catholic Voluntary Academy, Garwood expressed approval of the actions of Russian President Vladimir Putin in Ukraine, referring to the conflict as a battle against “satanic Nazis” and “evil Ukrainians.”
The TRA panel concluded that Garwood’s statements in support of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in front of students were unacceptable. Additionally, it was reported that Garwood also made derogatory comments about gay and transgender individuals during the same class session.
Garwood argued that his viewpoints were rooted in his Islamic beliefs and anti-Nazism, and he accused the investigation of being a political response to his opinions. However, the panel deemed his remarks as entirely inappropriate and irrelevant to the history lesson’s subject matter.
The TRA panel criticized Garwood for making subjective and discriminatory remarks about Ukrainians, gay, and transgender people, which they found to be outside the realm of acceptable teaching practices. Garwood is prohibited from seeking a reversal of the banning order until June 2032.