PE teacher, 22, is struck off after she was accused of ‘sleeping with 18-year-old pupil’
PE teacher, 22, is struck off after she was accused of ‘sleeping with 18-year-old pupil in Premier Inn after downing shots and ‘dancing inappropriately’ with him at booze-fuelled school prom
Melissa Tweedie, 22 at the time, was accused of sleeping with pupil after promShe was also spotted dancing inappropriately and taking shots with pupils at barThe sex allegation was not proven during hearing but she has been struck offThe panel found her conduct fell significantly short of standards expected
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A PE teacher who was accused of ‘sleeping with an 18-year-old pupil’ in a Premier Inn hotel room after ‘downing shots and dancing inappropriately’ with him at a school prom has been struck off the teaching register.
The General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) decided to remove Melissa Tweedie from the teaching register today following an investigation into her behaviour.
Miss Tweedie, who is now 27, allegedly slept with the 18-year-old pupil after the leavers night at SWG3 in Glasgow in June 2017.
The GTCS did not find this allegation proven on the weight of evidence presented to the panel but issued Miss Tweedie with a removal order after finding her conduct fell significantly short of the standard expected of a registered teacher.
The five-day hearing heard Miss Tweedie, a former teacher at Gleniffer High School in Paisley, Renfrewshire, was spotted dancing inappropriately with pupils and taking shots with them at the bar at the event.
She was then spotted on a bed with an 18-year-old pupil who told the teaching regulator this week that the pair had sex after he drank wine, gin, shots and beer.
Melissa Tweedie (pictured above), 22 at the time, has been struck off the teaching register after a panel found her conduct fell significantly short of the standard expected of a registered teacher
The 27-year-old, who now works as a yoga teacher in Dubai, was said to have danced inappropriately with pupils from Gleniffer High School in Paisley, Scotland
Miss Tweedie denied sleeping with the teen and told the school’s headteacher that she was at home when he phoned her from the hotel foyer trying to find her.
However, she later admitted to investigators that she woke up in bed with the pupil but denied having sex with him, and later claimed her drink may have been spiked.
Miss Tweedie, now working as a yoga teacher in Dubai, also made claims that she only went to the hotel because she was concerned about pupils taking drugs.
Speaking on behalf of the panel, Arthur Stewart said: ‘It is the view of the panel that the teacher has fallen significantly short of the standards and therefore is unfit to teach.
‘As Miss Tweedie has been found unfit to teach, the panel must direct that Miss Tweedie’s name be removed from the General Teaching Council from Scotland’s register.’
The Presenting Officer, Gary Burton, recommended that the panel impose the maximum of two years before she can reapply.
It was found that Miss Tweedie kissed Pupil A at the Premier Inn hotel.
It was also proven that she stated words to the effect of ‘Can we for a minute act like I’m not a teacher’ to a pupil(s) and when alone on a bed with Pupil A.
Colleagues said the former PE teacher was ‘shimmying up and down’ the pupil, known only as Pupil A, at the event before allegedly being found in bed with them
Additionally, it was also proven that when Pupil E entered the room, Miss Tweedie stated to Pupil E words to the effect of ‘technically I haven’t touched him yet’.
Presenting Officer Burton continued: ‘Miss Tweedie ought to have been aware of her responsibilities under CoPAC at the time she kissed the pupil.
‘There has been limited remorse from the teacher, Ms Bell said that by the stage she interviewed her there had been some remorse regarding an error of judgement.
‘She [Miss Tweedie] said that she did not feel that her behaviour at the prom was inappropriate, which the panel have found proved.
‘There has been no evidence of remediation and given the lack of insight, remorse or evidence of remediation I submit that the risk of repetition is significant if she was permitted to return to the profession.’
He finished his submission by saying: ‘I submit that her actions have clearly fallen significantly short of standards expected with a registered teacher and by acting in the way that she did her actions are fundamentally incompatible with that of a registered teacher.’
Former headteacher David Nicholls said he received a call at around 2am on prom night from an ‘alarmed’ pupil who said Miss Tweedie was in the hotel.
A statement from Ms Tweedie at the time read: ‘I saw what appeared to be a bag of cocaine waved in my face, it was highly alarming and that is why I did not go home with my flatmate’
Police Scotland were alerted to the incident at the time and found that no criminality had taken place (Ms Tweedie pictured)
The now-retired headteacher said he drove to a Premier Inn in Glasgow to track down Miss Tweedie, who was 22 at the time, but was not allowed past the foyer.
He said he finally managed to reach Miss Tweedie on the phone who told him she was at home.
However, the following day Mr Nicholls said the pupil, who was in the hotel room, said he had slept with Miss Tweedie.
The pupil, known only as Pupil A, said: ‘We kissed, no one initiated it.
‘We went downstairs and had sex in my room.
‘She stayed the night and we both left at eight.
‘I feel really sorry for Miss Tweedie, I had already handed in my leavers form.
‘In my eyes it wasn’t a student event.’
Aileen Sangster, deputy headteacher of Gleniffer High School, said: ‘Melissa was dancing inappropriately with Pupil A shimmying up and down his back.
‘I noticed Miss Tweedie due to the outfit she was wearing.
‘It was inappropriate, I put this down to inexperience.
‘After the meal she had a drink in her hand every time I saw her.’
A statement from Miss Tweedie at the time read: ‘I saw what appeared to be a bag of cocaine waved in my face, it was highly alarming and that is why I did not go home with my flatmate.
‘I should have walked back to tell the other staff and I should have called the police.
‘Pupils were saying “Miss, come upstairs for a drink, it’ll only be one”.
‘I was given one glass of Echo Falls white wine by a girl.
‘The next part that is clear is jolting up in the bed, I can’t see any face in my memory but I woke up and said “what are you doing here?”’
Ms Tweedie was alleged to have partied with pupils at SWG3 nightclub (file photo above) in Glasgow in June 2017 before going to the nearby Premier Inn hotel
Education manager for Renfrewshire Council Susan Bell told the GTCS: ‘She (Miss Tweedie) had come to the conclusion that her drink had been spiked and that she would not have engaged in sexual intercourse as it was her time of the month.
‘She didn’t feel she had been inappropriate at the prom, others didn’t agree but my understanding was that she felt she had been behaving appropriately.
‘When she mentioned the drugs it was totally out of left field, nobody else had mentioned that, I was knocked sideways and had to think on my feet how to move.
‘I thought it sounded ludicrous and I had to consider all the facts and that is what I was doing.’
Police Scotland were alerted to the incident at the time and found that no criminality had taken place.
