A history teacher in England has been banned from the profession after a disciplinary panel found he made discriminatory comments about LGBTQ+ people and praised Russia’s invasion of Ukraine during a classroom lesson.
William Garwood, 60, was teaching a Year 11 history class at St. Mary’s Menston Catholic Voluntary Academy in West Yorkshire in October 2023 when the remarks were made, according to a decision published by England’s Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA).
The agency concluded that Garwood’s conduct amounted to unacceptable professional misconduct, finding that his comments created an inappropriate learning environment and fell outside the standards expected of teachers. He is prohibited from teaching in England until at least June 23, 2032.
Classroom Discussion Took An Unexpected Turn
The incident occurred during a lesson on Nazi Germany when a student asked Garwood whether there had ever been any “just wars” in history.
According to evidence accepted by the TRA panel, Garwood responded, “Yes,” before shifting the discussion to Russia’s war in Ukraine. A student account stated that he told the class he was “happy” that Russian President Vladimir Putin was killing “satanic Nazis” in Ukraine and claimed that billionaires controlled world events by creating “evil Ukrainians.”
The panel determined that those comments amounted to a justification of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in front of students.
During the same lesson, Garwood also said that “gay and transgender people are mentally ill,” or words to that effect. The panel further found, on the balance of probabilities, that he told students, “Billionaires are the cause of transgenders and they print it in the media and influence people.”
Medical and psychological organizations worldwide have long rejected the claim that being LGBTQ+ is a mental illness. Being transgender is not classified as a mental disorder, and major medical associations recognize gender diversity as a natural part of human variation.
Panel Found Remarks Were Discriminatory
In its written decision, the TRA panel concluded that Garwood’s statements had no educational relevance to the history lesson.
“The panel noted that the remarks involved a significant and highly subjective value judgment, which had no relevance to the curriculum content being delivered,” the decision stated.
The panel also highlighted the potential impact such comments could have on young people in the classroom.
“The panel also considered the comments relating to homosexuality and transgender people to be especially problematic given their potential impact on school-aged children, noting that this subject matter is one of common public discussion and sensitivity.”
It ultimately concluded that Garwood’s conduct was “clearly inappropriate and significantly outside the bounds of acceptable teaching practice.”
The report further stated that he failed to foster an inclusive learning environment by presenting personal opinions as fact rather than encouraging balanced discussion.
“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 panel wrote.
Religious Freedom Argument Rejected
During the disciplinary proceedings, Garwood argued that his comments reflected his Muslim faith and his philosophical opposition to Nazism, which he said were protected under Section 10 of the Equality Act 2010.
The TRA considered those arguments but concluded they did not excuse his conduct in the classroom. The panel also found that Garwood had demonstrated little meaningful insight into the seriousness of his actions and expressed insufficient remorse during the proceedings.
The agency determined that his comments about LGBTQ+ people and Ukrainians constituted discriminatory behavior and warranted a prohibition order.
Teaching Ban Lasts Until 2032
Garwood, who had reportedly begun teaching at the school only days before the lesson through a recruitment agency, is now barred from teaching in schools, sixth-form colleges, children’s homes and other educational settings across England.
He cannot apply to have the prohibition order reviewed until June 23, 2032.
The case is the latest in a series of disciplinary proceedings involving educators in England whose classroom remarks about LGBTQ+ people have prompted professional misconduct investigations. While teachers are entitled to hold personal religious or philosophical beliefs, the TRA’s decision underscores that those beliefs must not be presented in ways that discriminate against students or undermine an inclusive educational environment.
